The standoff between the Trump administration and the United States' top health agency continued to escalate Thursday, with the vaccine-sceptic health minister promising to take control of the agency following the dismissal of its director.
"I can't comment on personnel issues, but the agency is in trouble, and we need to fix it, and that's what we're doing," Robert Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump's health secretary, told Fox News, criticizing the agency's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The day before, his conflict with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the country's main health agency that he oversees, had erupted into the open after his department announced the departure of Susan Monarez from the CDC directorship, after less than a month in office.
The reason, according to the latter's lawyers, is her refusal "to validate unscientific and dangerous directives" requested by the minister, known for his anti-vaccine positions.
In place of the professional scientist, the White House will appoint Jim O'Neill, Secretary RFK Jr.'s right-hand man and former tech financier, as acting director of the CDC, the Washington Post reported.
– “Manipulating science” –
Ms. Monarez's dismissal on Wednesday sparked widespread condemnation from both medical institutions and left-wing representatives.
"RFK Jr. is pushing aside scientific leaders who refuse to endorse without question his dangerous conspiracy theories and to manipulate science," Senator Bernie Sanders had denounced on X, calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
While Ms Monarez's departure was announced by the Ministry of Health, she denied it through her lawyers and accused Robert Kennedy Jr of pursuing a policy "endangering the lives of millions of Americans".
The White House then made his dismissal official, but its counsel denounced the procedure as "legally insufficient."
The event, rich in twists and turns, highlighted the sharp divisions between the Trump administration and scientists at federal agencies and led several top CDC officials to resign.
As they left the institution's headquarters in Atlanta (southeast) on Thursday, they were warmly applauded by their colleagues and promised to continue fighting to defend the work of the agency, which plays a crucial role in preventing chronic and infectious diseases and overdoses.
The leadership change at the CDC also comes just weeks after an attacker who strongly opposed the Covid-19 vaccine targeted the health agency's headquarters.
After the shooting, in which a police officer was killed, CDC employees accused RFK Jr. of endangering them by spreading misinformation, particularly about vaccines.
Since taking office, he has initiated a major overhaul of U.S. health agencies and the country's vaccination policy, dismissing renowned experts, restricting access to Covid-19 vaccines, and cutting funding for the development of new vaccines.
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