Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, nominated by Trump to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

President Donald Trump on Thursday nominated Erica Schwartz, the former deputy surgeon general, to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a social media post, Trump described Schwartz as “incredibly talented” and said, “She is a star!”

The Atlanta-based CDC, charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats, has been in turmoil since Trump returned to office more than a year ago, with a series of mostly interim leaders.

Read more: NIH’s Bhattacharya will also run the CDC while the Trump administration searches for a permanent director

The agency is overseen by Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who has promised not to change the country’s vaccination schedule. But shortly after taking office, Kennedy said he would investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and continued to try to fundamentally rewrite vaccine recommendations for children. Some of those efforts were recently put on hold by a federal judge.

The administration’s first pick to run the CDC was former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon, but his Senate confirmation hearing in March 2025 was canceled an hour before it began. Weldon said at the time that he was told that not enough senators were willing to vote for him.

The White House then passed to Susan Munarez, who was acting CDC director. Monarrez was confirmed by the Senate, but was ousted in less than a month. Trump administration officials said she didn’t fit their agenda so they terminated her.

Several key scientific leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned in protest, saying Munarez’s dismissal dashed their hopes that the CDC director could guard against political interference in the agency’s scientific research and health recommendations.

He watches: Ousted CDC Director Munarez says RFK Jr. disparaged CDC staff

Since then, there has been a revolving door in the agency’s leadership, as the short-term role of acting director is passed from one Department of Health and Human Services official in Washington to another. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharyya has been overseeing the CDC for the past few weeks.

During a House Appropriations Committee hearing Thursday, Kennedy said the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team was “extraordinary.”

“I think this new team will be able to really revolutionize CDC and get it back on track,” he said.

Schwartz holds several academic qualifications, including medical and law degrees. She spent her career largely in uniform, including a leadership position in the U.S. Coast Guard where she oversaw the organization’s system of 41 clinics and 150 patient rooms.

She later served as Deputy Surgeon General, where she helped lead uniformed medical and health professionals working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and government health agencies serving the general public.

Schwartz could not be reached for comment.

Trump also announced the appointment of Sean Slovenski, a former Walmart executive, as CDC deputy director and chief operating officer. Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Texas Health Commissioner, has been appointed CDC deputy director and chief medical officer. Dr. Sarah Brenner, former director of the Food and Drug Administration, has been appointed as Kennedy’s senior public health advisor.

In a social media post Thursday, Kennedy congratulated Schwartz and other appointees and said he looked forward to “working together to restore trust, accountability and scientific integrity” at the CDC.

But Aaron Seery, a lawyer and Kennedy ally in attacking vaccine and drug companies, criticized Schwartz’s choice. In a social media post, Siri criticized Schwartz’s past promotion of vaccinations and said she “lacks the basic morals and ethics of leading the CDC.”

Schwartz’s nomination comes as Dr. Casey Means, Trump’s pick for another key health-related role as US Surgeon General, is having difficulty getting confirmed.

The reversal of Means’ nomination after his appearance at a confirmation hearing last February reflects the skepticism expressed by lawmakers from both parties about the direction Kennedy has taken in his Cabinet.

AP Writer Ali Swenson contributed to this report.