Erica Schwartz Tapped To Lead CDC

US President Donald Trump has nominated Rear Admiral Erica Schwartz (ret.) to serve as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A board-certified preventive medicine physician, Schwartz previously served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term and as chief medical officer of the U.S. Coast Guard. She holds degrees from Brown University (MD), the University of Maryland (JD), and the Uniformed Services University (MPH).

The CDC has operated without a Senate-confirmed leader since Susan Monarez’s departure, with NIH director Jay Bhattacharya providing interim oversight. Schwartz, who emphasizes preventive care and public-health readiness in her public messaging, now faces confirmation hearings as the agency contends with staffing cuts, budget constraints, and diminished morale.

Her nomination signals a renewed focus on military-aligned public health leadership – and a pivotal test for the administration’s health agenda.