Everything You Need to Know About the Black Woman Trump Nominated To Lead the CDC

In a move many people didn’t see coming, President Donald Trump nominated a Black woman to become the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Erica Schwartz will become the fourth CDC director since Trump’s return to office in January 2025. Her responsibilities would include managing the remaining staff after last year’s mass layoffs and restoring public trust in the agency, which reportedly hit its lowest point since the COVID-19 pandemic in February. The Guardian has described this administration as the “least diverse US government this century,” leaving some to believe that the choice of a Black woman with a stellar track record could be a strategic calculation.

So who is Dr. Schwartz, and how did she end up here? Here’s what we know:

Credentials That Check All The Boxes

The Trump administration has been criticized for appointing MAGA loyalists, but supporters characterize Schwartz’s nomination as a return to traditional public health credentials. A physician with a broad foundation, Schwartz holds degrees in both medicine and biomedical engineering from Brown University. According to The Guardian, she also holds a law degree from the University of Maryland and a Master of Public Health from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

A Career Built on Uniforms and Crisis Response

Schwartz served across the Navy, Coast Guard and Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. According to her Coast Guard biography, the retired Rear Admiral (upper half) built a military career that spanned more than two decades and centered on preventive care, public health readiness and emergency response. In 2015, she was promoted to the Coast Guard’s Chief Medical Officer and Director of Safety and Work-Life.

Her biography includes a list of military honors, including two Meritorious Service Medals and Coast Guard and Navy Commendation Medals, recognizing a career built on leadership and discipline.

A History in The White House

Schwartz was the deputy surgeon general during President Trump’s first term, serving from 2019 to 2021. PBS noted that in that role, she helped coordinate CDC medical and health professionals.

Her Vaccine Stance

The New York Times described Schwartz as a “vaccine supporter” who has publicly praised vaccines as a cornerstone of preventive medicine. She was also involved in the national COVID strategy, according to NPR. Her supervisor at the time, Admiral Brett Giroir, called her “a person of the highest integrity and commitment to service to this country.”

If confirmed, she will work under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, whose bias against vaccines has been called out by critics for spreading misinformation and disregarding science. PBS notes that Aaron Siri, a Kennedy ally, has criticized Schwartz as lacking “basic ethics and morals.”

Succession

Schwartz would succeed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who has been serving in an acting capacity following the brief hiring and removal of Susan Monarez, a move that has many people wondering how this latest shakeup in the Trump administration will end.