Day: September 17, 2025

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Russian political activist Alexei Navalny’s widow says lab reports show her husband was poisoned.

(NewsNation) — Fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez is expected to tell senators that she was fired for refusing to approve new vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence.

According to a copy of the prepared remarks, obtained Tuesday by the Associated Press, Monarez will tell senators that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave her an ultimatum: “Preapprove” new vaccine recommendations from a controversial advisory CDC panel that Kennedy has stocked with some medical experts who doubt vaccine safety or be fired. That panel is expected to vote on new vaccine recommendations later this week.

Monarez was fired just weeks into her role, which she says is because she refused to rubber-stamp vaccine recommendations without reviewing them. Monarez has also said she was directed to fire senior CDC officials without cause.

Kennedy has made significant changes regarding health policy, including appointing vaccine-skeptical personnel to key roles. Under his tenure, the Food and Drug Administration has also imposed new limits on the COVID-19 vaccine, though multiple medical groups have issued broader recommendations.

In recent days, Kennedy has faced pushback from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers over recommendations around vaccines.