Susan Monarez, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was fired on Wednesday but has refused to vacate her position, sparking a legal dispute over her removal. Monarez’s lawyers argue she cannot be dismissed without direct intervention from former President Donald Trump, asserting that the White House’s recent termination statement is invalid.

Monarez, an infectious disease specialist confirmed as CDC chief just a month earlier, was abruptly removed by the Department of Health and Human Services, which provided no explanation for her departure. Her legal team contends that as a presidential appointee, only Trump himself has the authority to terminate her role. “As a presidential appointee, Senate confirmed officer, only the president himself can fire her,” Monarez’s lawyer Mark Zaid stated on Bluesky.

The White House denied Monarez’s request to resign and formally terminated her position, according to spokesman Kush Desai. He claimed she was “not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again” and criticized her refusal to step down despite prior warnings. Monarez’s attorneys countered that she has neither resigned nor received formal notice of termination, emphasizing her commitment to scientific integrity over political pressures.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a key figure in the Trump administration, suggested Monarez’s firing marks an effort to purge “rot” from U.S. health agencies. The standoff highlights tensions between bureaucratic leadership and executive authority, with no resolution imminent.