RFK Jr. Dominated the Confirmation Hearing for the Next CDC Director

The nominee, a well-regarded career federal employee, avoided criticizing or endorsing the health secretary’s more controversial decisions.

Susan Monarez, nominee to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies during her confirmation hearing.
Bill Clark/AP

The longtime public health official nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stuck to the MAHA party line during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, but without outright endorsing some of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s more controversial decisions.

In an appearance before the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, nominee Susan Monarez evaded multiple attempts by Democratic committee members to elicit criticism from her of the secretary.

“The secretary is doing important work of leading a complex agency through a number of different transitions,” Monarez replied when asked by Sen. Patty Murray if she disagreed with any of Kennedy’s decisions so far.