Trump Chooses Dr. Erica Schwartz to Be CDC Director

(SeaPRwire) –   President Donald Trump announced on April 16 via Truth Social that he has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ending an eight-month vacancy for the agency’s top post.

Schwartz’s professional background is rooted in military service, following in the footsteps of her father, a Naval officer. An alumna of Brown University’s eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education, she later obtained a law degree and a master’s in public health from the University of Maryland. Her career includes service in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the Coast Guard, where she addressed health concerns stemming from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

During her tenure as chief medical officer for the U.S. Coast Guard, she oversaw the unit’s clinical operations. In 2019, she was appointed as deputy to then-Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams during the first Trump Administration.

“A battle-tested leader with decades of distinguished public service—including as a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service and Coast Guard—she has the expertise, credibility, and integrity to lead the CDC effectively,” stated Adams, who has previously critiqued public-health management during Trump’s second term, in a LinkedIn post. “If allowed to follow the science without political interference, she’ll excel.”

Schwartz’s appointment is now subject to Senate confirmation.

The CDC has experienced a period of instability and interim leadership throughout Trump’s second term. The White House previously retracted the nomination of Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon before his confirmation hearing due to insufficient support. His successor, Susan Monarez, held the position for roughly a month before being removed following disputes with the Administration over public-health policies, specifically regarding vaccines. During a September 2025 Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing, Monarez alleged that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had pressured her to fire vaccine officials without cause and to authorize immunization changes that lacked scientific backing.

Kennedy has implemented significant shifts in national childhood vaccine policies and disbanded the CDC’s independent advisory group on vaccine schedules, substituting them with appointees who express skepticism toward vaccines. A court has currently blocked these changes, which included the removal of annual flu and COVID-19 vaccination requirements for most children.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy has recently moderated his anti-vaccine stance ahead of the midterm elections and in light of a major measles outbreak, reportedly following directives from the White House.

“Cautiously optimistic but encouraged by this pick,” Adams added in his post.