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The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
CDC nominee Susan Monarez sidesteps questions about disagreements with RFK in Senate hearing
Susan Monarez, President Donald Trump 's pick to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that she values vaccines, public health interventions and rigorous scientific evidence, but largely sidestepped questions about widespread cuts to the agency, elimination of programs and whether she disagreed with any of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actions to date. 'The secretary is doing the important work of leading a complex agency,' Monarez told members of a Senate health committee that will decide whether to advance her nomination. Monarez, 50, is the first nominee for CDC director to require Senate confirmation. She was named acting director in January and the nominee for the post in March after Trump abruptly withdrew his first choice, David Weldon. Monarez is the former director of a federal biomedical research agency and a respected scientist, though she would be the first nonphysician to lead the CDC in decades. Monarez repeatedly said she had not been involved in decisions earlier this year to cut hundreds of staff and eliminate CDC programs, but that she would work to retain the agency's core functions and transition key programs to other parts of the Health and Human Services department. Her answers appeared to frustrate some senators, including Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine, who said he had no questions about her qualifications. 'I've got questions about your willingness to follow through on your values,' he said. In the two-hour hearing, Monarez was sharply questioned about Kennedy's recent move to fire all 17 members of a crucial committee that evaluates and recommends vaccines, his downplaying of the risks of measles during a nationwide outbreak and staffing cuts to a program that investigates lead poisoning in children. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who is chairman of the committee, sought assurances about the scientific integrity of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which was reconstituted by Kennedy to include vaccine skeptics. 'Someone can speak as a critic, but there should be someone who's reviewing the overwhelming evidence of the safety of vaccines,' Cassidy said. Monarez said she strongly supported public health interventions, including immunizations, saying, 'I think vaccines save lives." 'The ACIP has a very vital role to play,' she added. 'And it must make sure that it is using science and evidence to drive that decision-making.' She vowed to prioritize innovation, 'evidence-based rapid decision-making' and clear communication at the $9.2 billion agency tasked with evaluating vaccines, monitoring diseases and watching for threats to Americans' health. Monarez declined to say whether she had disagreed with any of Kennedy's decisions regarding the agency to date, saying he has 'laid out a very clear vision.' 'I think he has prioritized key public health activities for preventing chronic diseases," she added. If Monarez is confirmed, it would end a stretch of confusion at the Atlanta-based CDC, where, for months, it wasn't clear who was running the agency. The acting director's role was filled in part by Matthew Buzzelli, the CDC's chief of staff who is a lawyer and political appointee with no medical experience. Monarez holds doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin, and her postdoctoral training was in microbiology and immunology at Stanford University. At CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees have said Monarez was rarely heard from between late January and late March, when Trump nominated her. The CDC was created nearly 80 years ago to prevent the spread of malaria in the U.S. Its mission was later expanded, and it gradually became a global leader on infectious and chronic diseases and a go-to source of health information. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Scottish Sun
36 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Zelensky tries new formal look for crunch meeting with Trump at Nato as Don says war leader ‘couldn't have been nicer'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VOLODYMYR Zelensky swapped his signature battlefield khakis for a slick black suit today – just in time for a high-stakes huddle with Donald Trump at the Nato summit. Both leaders were snapped in deep discussion in The Hague, where Zelensky presented Trump with documents and battlefield updates from the frontlines of the Ukraine war. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky ditches his khakis for a sharp black suit at the Nato summit in The Hague Credit: Splash 5 Zelensky shows Donald Trump battlefield updates as the pair meet for crunch talks on Ukraine's future Credit: AFP 5 Trump previously criticised the Ukrainian leader for his attire at their fiery Oval Office showdown Credit: AFP 5 Both presidents hailed their meeting as positive Credit: EPA The outfit change didn't go unnoticed – especially after Trump previously chided Zelensky in the Oval Office earlier this year for not showing up in a suit. This time, the Ukrainian leader went full statesman mode in head-to-toe black, looking ready for diplomacy as he pushed for American air defence systems and co-production of drones. Writing on X, Zelensky said: 'We discussed the protection of our people with the President — first and foremost, the purchase of American air defense systems to shield our cities, our people, churches, and infrastructure.' 'Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support American weapons manufacturers. Europe can help.' He added: 'Putin is definitely not winning. I presented the President with the facts about what is really happening on the ground.' Trump, meanwhile, described their meeting as a roaring success. At a press conference following the Nato summit, he said it 'couldn't be nicer' and praised Zelensky for 'fighting a brave battle'. He also claimed Zelensky 'wants a ceasefire' and hinted at personally speaking with Vladimir Putin to end the war, though he admitted the Russian leader has been 'more difficult' than expected. The face-to-face came on the sidelines of what's being dubbed Trump's 'victory lap' in The Hague, after US-led B-2 bombings allegedly knocked out Iran's Fordow nuclear facility in a dramatic weekend blitz. 'Daddy' Trump stopped Israel and Iran war, Nato chief tells 'strong' Don 'The bombing of Iran has reasserted US military power and showed the strength of America,' Trump said. He also hailed Nato's new five per cent GDP defence spending pledge as 'historic', branding it a 'monumental win for the US' and a 'big win for civilisation'. As leaders gathered under the Nato and Ukrainian flags, Trump even joked about being called 'Daddy' by Dutch PM and Nato chief Mark Rutte, saying: 'He's very affectionate. 'Daddy, you're my daddy'.' While Trump's diplomatic style was as brash as ever, Zelensky struck a more sombre tone, speaking of fallen soldiers and forensic efforts to identify Russian bodies handed back to Ukraine. 'I also informed the President about how the technical team's meetings in Istanbul went, as well as the exchanges of prisoners and the fallen,' Zelensky said. Elsewhere at the summit, Trump said the US may make Patriot missile systems available to Ukraine to help defend against nightly drone and rocket attacks by Russian forces. The advanced anti-air batteries could be a major game-changer on the battlefield, if approved. He also touched on fears of future aggression by the Kremlin, saying it was 'possible' Putin harbours ambitions beyond Ukraine, in response to a question about US intelligence assessments. The Hague event has seen Trump bask in praise for helping bring a halt to the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, with even his critics calling it a major moment of statesmanship. 'Israel fought a hell of a war, they fought very hard,' he said. 'Both were satisfied to go home and get out.' Zelensky's meeting with Trump followed talks with the prime ministers of Denmark and New Zealand. The Ukrainian leader continues to push Western allies for weapons, funding, and diplomatic muscle as Kyiv braces for a fresh Russian offensive.
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Family divided as brother and sister go head to head in Florida election... and force their mom to pick a side
Two siblings faced off in the same Florida state election that turned into a bitter family dispute. Randolph Bracy lost to his sister LaVon Bracy Davis in Florida's Senate District 15 special election, and was defeated after their own mother came out against him. The siblings, both Democrats, campaigned to succeed longtime Florida State Senator Geraldine Thompson, who died earlier this year. And in the run-up to Tuesday's voting they were far from cordial. LaVon won the election handily with 42 percent support, while her brother trailed with just 12 percent. Two other candidates came between them, with LaVon's success coming as she promoted herself as a continuation of Thompson's legacy. Randolph, a former state representative and state senator, entered the race first earlier this year, and when his sister joined the election, he said her decision was 'disappointing and hurtful.' He had previously run against Thompson in 2024, but his mother LaVon Wright Bracy, a civil rights activist, endorsed his opponent rather than her own son. And this time around, the siblings' mother endorsed her daughter, and revealed her stance in an Instagram video where she announced that she was also running LaVon's campaign. When Randolph lost to Thompson last year, both his sister and mother endorsed his opponent before he lost the race. His mother had been a close friend of Thompson and was even her maid of honor, according to the BBC. In the election campaign, Bracy Davis was also endorsed by Thompson's family to succeed her, and said she would pick up Thompson's 'torch of justice, progress, and service.' Although her brother slated her decision to run against him, Bracy Davis largely ignored the family controversy in the race. When asked earlier this year about her opponents, she said she wasn't running 'against any of them — I'm running for the people of Senate District 15.' While not citing her brother's 'disappointment', Bracy said she was 'proud of the positive campaign I've run-one rooted in respect, results, and real connection. 'While not every campaign has taken that approach, I've stayed focused on uplifting our community rather than tearing others down,' she said during the election cycle. After losing the support of his sister and mother, Randolph ignored his mother's civil rights legacy and reportedly only spoke of his father, Randolph Bracy Jr., who was a local NAACP president in Florida. He had previously served in a different state senate seat until he decided to run for Congress in 2022, which he lost. Bracy Davis has also previously served as a state representative, and is now expected to win the general election against Republican Willie Montague, the founder of a faith-based rehab facility, in their liberal district. During the campaign, the sibling rivalry was reportedly seized upon by a Republican political operative, who sent fliers around their district telling voters to 'Bracy yourself.'
