Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director

scienceAug 5, 202615192

The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 51-44 vote, ending nearly a year without a permanent CDC leader. Schwartz, President Trump's third nominee for the post, won a largely party-line vote with Virginia Senator Tim Kaine the sole Democrat to support her. Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term and worked in the United States Public Health Service, where she was detailed to the Coast Guard and became its chief medical officer; she is also a navy veteran. Senators pressed Schwartz on vaccine policy at her confirmation hearing; she said she "will never betray the science" and told a senator that Robert F. Kennedy Jr "will absolutely allow me to be CDC director." Senate Health Committee chair Bill Cassidy, a physician, endorsed her and said he will work with her to regain trust in the CDC. Schwartz takes the job after a turbulent stretch in which Trump’s first nominee David Weldon was withdrawn in March 2025 and Susan Monarez, a prior confirmed director, was fired by Kennedy last year after less than a month over a vaccine-policy clash. Schwartz steps in as the agency confronts an outbreak of cyclosporiasis and public concern about vaccine hesitancy driven by high-profile skepticism.

Patti Olivier EPSTEIN FILES NEVER FORGET

@patti3333.bsky.social

Senate confirms Dr.Erica Schwartz as CDC Director She is a Doctor, graduate of Brown Univ. She has JD from Univ of MD SHE IS A REPUBLICAN (ok I have to be hesitant) She was inTrump's 1st Admin. Chief Med. Officer Coast Guard She did help lead with COVID, established testing WE CAN ONLY HOPE

545h ago

I Am Antifa1

As Dad used to say, don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.

Mimimalwaysblue1

Trump will help her ruin her career.

Carol Stanton1

The director of the CDC doesn't matter to me in a Trump administration. If the Trump administration says it, it may be true but probably is not.

Millie, or Mills if we’re friends1

Let’s just hope they ran out of lunatics and she will lead properly. She has the right credentials 🙏🏻

Republicans Against Trumpism

@rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social

NEW: The U.S. Senate has confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director by a 51-44 vote

496h ago

Dreggas13 is on YouTube11

on one hand...at least she is a Doctor. On the other hand...how bat shit crazy is she?

chrisnjfl.bsky.social10

When asked if she would implement unscientific policies if asked to do so by felon47 & despicablerfkjr, she said she believed they would not ask her to do that. If she believes that & can't say a definitive no to that question she is the wrong person for the job.

JasonTheTall5

This anti-vaxxer literally said she won’t betray science, backs Kennedy. Ffs 😡

Hellishchildren1

How long until Trump pays attention long enough to realize she is a Black woman?

Brian 🇺🇸 / Muzi 🇿🇦1

All she has to do is to block the noise and focus on public health. And by "noise" I mean RFK Jr and everyone who claims to be a scientist without the credentials or degree of any kind to back it up.

camofarc.bsky.social1

Dems Gallego not voting Klobuchar not voting - in MN for important governor debate KAINE YEA What????

Barbara Rodriguez

@bcrodriguez.bsky.social

Dr. Erica Schwartz, who was confirmed as CDC director today by the Senate, says she wants to bring “radical transparency and unwavering scientific integrity” to the job — she faces political headwinds and practical challenges as gets started. 19thnews.org/2026/08/eric...

105h ago

Uché Blackstock, MD

@ucheblackstockmd.bsky.social

Dr. Erica Schwartz becoming the first Black woman to lead the CDC is historic, but representation & accountability must go together. Trust must be earned by defending science, protecting the CDC’s independence, and putting public health above political pressure. I’ll be watching. #DrUB

124h ago

@terry-157.bsky.social

apnews.com/article/eric... confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director, bringing new leadership to troubled agency I am sure she is qualified but she has a boss who will make viable responses difficult. And his boss who is an antagonist. The next infectious disease, I fear the worst.

85h ago

Scientific American

@sciam.bsky.social

After nearly a year of interim directors, the nation's top public health body finally has a full-time leader www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...

106h ago

Unofficial CTV News Mirror

@ctvnews-mirror.bsky.social

Dr. Erica Schwartz confirmed as U.S. CDC’s first official director in a year

76h ago

CIDRAP

@cidrap.bsky.social

Senate confirms Erica Schwartz as CDC director Schwartz will lead an agency that has been operating without a confirmed director for nearly a year. Read more: https://bit.ly/4w9sR76 📷: HHS/Wikimedia Commons

84h ago

Maggie's Farm1

I hope she's not a MAHA loon.

Quoting this

Elizabeth Grisham 💙🗳🗽2

It is very sad that someone in public health leadership—especially at the federal level—would not stand loud and proud on the side of vaccine access. Sigh. #VaccinesWork

Jennifer Ouellette

@jenlucpiquant.bsky.social

Schwartz confirmed as CDC director after bungling confirmation hearing arstechnica.com/health/2026/...

63h ago

Les LeMieux

@leslemieux.bsky.social

The Guardian.... "Senate confirms Trump pick Erica Schwartz as new CDC director" She's walking into a really sh*tty situation.

53h ago

Nick TP

@nixotalkspoli.bsky.social

I hate living in a time when the director of the CDC believing in vaccines is news worthy

84h ago

Craig R. Brittain

@craigbrittain.com

Breaking: Senate approves Trump CDC nominee Erica Schwartz by a vote of 51-44.

36h ago

Amesh Adalja

@ameshaa.bsky.social

“I'm confident that she knows what she's doing and will stand against those who do not” — I’m not and definitley comfident in anything Senator Cassidy says as he’s given the anti-vaccine movement so much power www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-healt...

34h ago

Ian Weissman, DO

@drianweissman.bsky.social

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica ‌Schwartz as director of the U.S. CDC. www.reuters.com/world/us-sen...

53h ago

Cath RN, PhD

@headdoc35.bsky.social

She was confirmed as CDC head. She feigned ignorance of RFK Jr.’s vaccine policies during her hearing. When asked about upholding scientific principles, her responses were vague/missing info. She’ll be a scapegoat, or they’ll fire her. IDK why ppl ruin their reputation like this. Mazel tov w/that.

44h ago

3 sources

theguardian.comSenate confirms Trump pick Erica Schwartz as new CDC director apnews.comSenate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director, bringing new leadership to troubled agency nbcnews.comNew CDC director is confirmed, giving agency its first permanent leader in a year

SpaceX rocket piece believed to have crashed into Moonscience Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC directorscience

Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director

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