Bulwark Takes BREAKING: CDC in Turmoil, Mass Resignations Under RFK
Aug 28, 2025
Join Jonathan Cohn, a savvy author of the Breakdown newsletter, and Dan Diamond, a health policy reporter for The Washington Post, as they dive into the chaos at the CDC. They discuss shocking mass resignations that pose risks to America’s health security. Cohn and Diamond analyze RFK Jr.'s influence on public health policies and the fallout from conflicts over vaccine initiatives. With a letter pointing to data manipulation and escalating concerns about public trust, the conversation unpacks the uncertainty in national health leadership.
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Sudden Leadership Vacuum At CDC
- The reported removal of Susan Monteres and resignations of senior CDC career officials created immediate leadership vacuum at CDC.
- Losing decades of institutional expertise raises red flags for national public-health preparedness.
Deep Divide Over Vaccine Policy
- RFK Jr.'s team has moved to reshape vaccine advisory bodies and recommendations in ways that diverge from mainstream scientific consensus.
- That created a sharp divide between CDC career scientists and the new political leadership over COVID, children, and pregnancy vaccine guidance.
Director Refused To Precommit In Meeting
- Dan Diamond recounts a meeting where Susan Monteres refused to precommit to policy changes without consulting experts.
- Her consult-first stance reportedly angered RFK Jr.'s team and escalated pressure to remove her.