“Any reporting about Administration appointments unless officially announced by the White House is pointless speculation,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. Trump officials then selected Susan Monarez, a scientist who was already serving as acting CDC director. Edney has been Mississippi’s state health officer since August 2022, after previously holding roles as deputy state health officer and chief medical officer at the state health department. Starting last year, selection of the CDC director requires Senate approval, no longer leaving that power to the president alone. Unease among career staff and public health officials who depend on CDC guidance has unfolded amid a record-breaking measles outbreak.

Source: Washington Post March 22, 2026 21:06 UTC