President Donald Trump on Thursday nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general and retired rear admiral, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The nomination aims to provide permanent leadership to an agency that has been managed largely on an interim or part-time basis during Trump’s second term.
If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz would become the agency’s second full-time director this term, following the brief and tumultuous four-week tenure of Susan Monarez, who was fired last August after clashing with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy.
Schwartz, a board-certified doctor of preventive medicine, brings a background in both military and federal health service. She spent the majority of her career in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, serving as the Coast Guard’s preventive medicine chief, and was a key figure in the first Trump administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to her medical degree from Brown University and a Master of Public Health, Schwartz holds a law degree and is a member of the District of Columbia bar.
The nomination comes at a sensitive time for the administration’s health leadership. The White House has recently sought to distance itself from politically divisive issues like vaccines in anticipation of the midterm elections, focusing instead on more popular topics such as food safety and drug pricing.
This shift comes as the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement—the political base supporting Kennedy—has seen its influence waver in Washington.
Schwartz’s professional credentials as a practicing physician may help her avoid the confirmation hurdles faced by other nominees. For instance, some Senate Republicans have expressed reluctance to confirm Casey Means as surgeon general, citing her lack of medical practice and her stance on vaccines.
Schwartz’s nomination will be overseen by the Senate health committee, chaired by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician and vocal supporter of vaccinations.
The administration also announced several other key leadership roles including Sean Slovenski, former president of Walmart Health & Wellness, as CDC deputy director and chief operating officer.