The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just lost one of its biggest names, and she didn’t slip quietly out the back door. Debra Houry, the agency’s chief medical officer and longtime science chief, stormed out last week after the sudden firing of Director Susan Monarez. And before the dust even settled, she lit into Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with a warning shot about what’s coming next.
Houry’s exit wasn’t some isolated HR shake-up. She was joined by three other top brass, all of them fed up with what they see as a White House that has turned its back on science. The last straw, she says, wasn’t just the dismissal of Monarez but a deeper frustration: senior health officials refusing to listen to CDC experts on the very policies they’re supposed to guide.
And that brings us to RFK Jr.
CDC official who resigned in protest: We’re not prepared for the next outbreak
Watch the full video here: https://t.co/zHoNVfvxtP pic.twitter.com/ehc4k5TedM— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) August 29, 2025
Kennedy, who once helmed the notorious anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, is now a key player in the Trump administration’s health agenda. And, according to Houry, he’s trying to haul old conspiracy talking points straight into federal policy. She said she’s convinced Kennedy’s whisper campaign against COVID mRNA vaccines is ripped directly from the playbook of the anti-vax world he used to champion.
The Daily Beast recently reported that Kennedy has been pushing behind the scenes for an outright ban on mRNA vaccines, arguing they’re responsible for “vaccine injuries.” Asked if that wild idea could really become policy, Houry didn’t flinch. “I wouldn’t put it past them,” she said.
Debra Houry, top CDC official who resigned in protest, says of RFK Jr: “None of our scientists have ever briefed the secretary over vaccines.”
Says it’s going to be “very difficult” to trust CDC when new info is released. And says CDC not prepared anymore for another outbreak. pic.twitter.com/BX10nGeJoZ
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 1, 2025
Technically, pulling the shots isn’t simple. The vaccines remain fully authorized by the FDA, and by law, the agency would have to prove they’re unsafe before stripping approval. But Houry warned that, in today’s political climate, science isn’t the guardrail it used to be. She pointed to recent decisions that shrugged off data and warned it wouldn’t shock her if pressure from Kennedy tipped the balance.
Her bluntness is rare, especially from someone who spent years at the top of the CDC. Inside the agency, Houry was known as a steady hand, balancing the technical with the political. Now, free of the bureaucratic leash, she’s making it clear she believes Kennedy’s influence is a genuine threat.
I love when actual scientists roast RFK Jr. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/AR44hFC7jr
— Devin Duke (@sirDukeDevin) August 28, 2025
The stakes are high. mRNA technology was the breakthrough that allowed rapid rollout of vaccines during the darkest days of the pandemic. Millions of doses later, the shots have been credited with saving lives and keeping hospitals from collapsing. Even so, they’ve been dogged by misinformation campaigns, with Kennedy among the loudest voices sowing doubt.
By resigning in protest, Houry is sending a message that those voices may now have the upper hand. “Policy decisions are being made in ways that ignore evidence,” she said. “And that’s dangerous.”
The shake-up leaves the CDC leaderless and rattled just as fall booster campaigns get underway and new COVID variants stir fresh concern. Health experts worry that even floating the idea of scrapping the vaccines could undermine public confidence further and embolden anti-vaccine activists.
Houry’s departure wasn’t just an act of protest, it was a flare shot into the sky. She’s warning that if RFK Jr.’s crusade wins out, the nation’s pandemic defenses could unravel in real time.
