U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the nomination of Erica Schwartz, former Deputy Surgeon General, as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schwartz, who played a significant role during Trump's first term, was involved in overseeing the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on national preparedness and public health coordination. In a post on Truth Social, Trump also revealed the appointment of healthcare executive Sean Slovenski, Texas health commissioner Jen Shuford, and FDA official Sara Brenner to senior roles within the CDC. This announcement comes after the controversial firing of former CDC Director Susan Monarez last August, which was reportedly due to her objections to vaccine policy changes proposed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Monarez was succeeded by acting directors, including Jim O'Neill and Jay Bhattacharya, director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.