Aug 28, 2025 - Health

Scenes from CDC rally for officials who quit over RFK Jr.'s policies

Rebecca Falconer

Crowd at rally holding signs like "Save the CDC," "You Are Heroes," and "Thank You CDC," with three smiling adults in front, two men in suits and a woman in a red jacket, outdoors with green trees. — Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials Daniel Jernigan (left), Debra Houry and Demetre Daskalakis react to employees and supporters of the CDC lining up outside its global headquarters on Aug. 28 in Atlanta, Ga. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Three senior CDC officials who resigned from their positions during a tumultuous week at the health agency were cheered by staff and supporters after being escorted out of the global headquarters in Atlanta on Thursday.

The big picture: Dozens of staff members and leaders at the CDC staged a walkout Thursday in response to the shake-up that saw the Trump administration oust CDC director Susan Monarez, who refused to quit, and the resignation of former officials Demetre Daskalakis, Debra Houry and Daniel Jernigan.

Group of uniformed military and civilian personnel standing outside the CDC David J. Sencer Museum, saluting and applauding near road signs indicating no entry and a left turn. — Employees of the Centers for Disease Control clap and salute the departing CDC officials at its global headquarters in Atlanta on Aug. 28. The White House has picked Jim O'Neill, the deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, as the acting CDC director. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Two women hugging, one in a green shirt and jeans, the other in a red jacket holding a colorful bouquet, surrounded by applauding people and photographers at an outdoor event. — Ex-CDC chief medical officer Houry outside the agency's HQ on Aug. 28. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing that President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are "committed to restoring trust and transparency and credibility to the CDC" and will "make sure that folks that are in positions of leadership there are aligned with that mission." Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

A man in a suit and glasses smiles while shaking hands with another person; a woman in a pink shirt holds a phone, surrounded by a crowd holding signs like "YOU ARE HEROES" at an outdoor event. — Jernigan, former director of the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, greets a supporter outside the CDC on Aug. 28. The three officials who resigned said they quit because Kennedy "undermined vaccine science, risking lives," per the Washington Post. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

A diverse group of people standing outside, many holding up printed photos of two different smiling individuals with "Thank You" messages, near a "Do Not Enter" sign and vehicles. — Employees and supporters of the CDC hold signs to honor former officials Jernigan, Houry and Daskalakis outside its global headquarters on Aug. 28. The former officials are calling for an end to political interference in CDC work and want Congress to act on the matter. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Crowd at outdoor event with people hugging, holding signs reading "Thank you for your integrity!!", "You are heroes", and others, capturing supportive and appreciative atmosphere. — Daskalakis, pictured being hugged by a supporter outside the CDC on Aug. 28, shared a blistering resignation post on X that accused HHS Secretary Kennedy of ignoring experts. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Three women outdoors, visibly emotional and crying; one holds a paper with a man's photo and text saying "Thank You". A police vehicle is visible in the background. — Two women cry during a clapout honoring Jernigan, Houry and Daskalakis outside the CDC on Aug. 28. Daskalakis' post said recent policy changes threatened lives and there had been an "intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines." Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

A group of people hugging and smiling at an outdoor rally with colorful signs praising science, facts, and integrity in the background. Some hold signs with hearts and CDC logos. — Supporters hug Houry and Jernigan as Daskalakis smiles. "They are essentially trying to undo a lot of the science that has been settled for vaccine policies," Jernigan said at the rally. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

A person with coral pink nails holds a paper sign showing a smiling bald man with a beard, dressed in green and white religious-style robes with a golden halo and a heart symbol, captioned "Thank You Demetr". — A supporter holds up a sign honoring former vaccine chief Demetre Daskalakis during a rally outside the CDC global headquarters. "You are the people that protect America, and America needs to see that you are the people that protect America, and we are going to be your loudest advocates," Daskalakis said at the rally. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Group of diverse people outdoors holding signs thanking CDC and DC workers, with messages like "Good Science Saves Lives" and "Thank You CDC," smiling and clapping on a city sidewalk. — Houry and Daskalakis react to supporters outside the CDC on Aug. 28. "We agreed to do this together," Houry said of their resignations. "We've been talking about it for months, and then the past few days, it was just escalating." Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Crowd of diverse people at a protest holding blue signs reading "Save the CDC" and other signs thanking the CDC, gathered outdoors near trees and buildings. — Employees and supporters of the CDC demonstrate at the Atlanta headquarters on Aug. 28. "If one of us retired, it would have been a blip. When the three of us do it together, it's more powerful and just shows the state of our agency," Houry said. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

People at an outdoor event holding signs like "Thank You CDC," "COURAGE is CONTAGIOUS," and "Science Saves" while a man in a suit holds a bouquet of orange roses, smiling. — Daskalakis smiles after receiving flowers as employees and supporters of the CDC cheer and clap to honor him, Jernigan and Houry. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Smiling woman with gray hair in a red blazer and patterned dress holds hand to chest. Behind her, a diverse crowd stands outside, some taking photos and videos. — Houry, shown among supporters, told PBS that "public health and CDC is in trouble." Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

A group of uniformed personnel and other people stand and clap near a Visitor Deck sign, with a blue sign indicating directions to Child Care and Ride Share in the foreground. — Employees and supporters of the CDC salute the departing officials. "Let's get the politics out of public health. Let's get back to the objectivity and let the science lead us, because that's how we get back to the best decisions for public health," Jernigan said at the rally. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Group of diverse people, some in business attire, walking away on a sidewalk; two men in front wave their hands, one holding a paper; urban background with greenery and buildings. — Jernigan, Houry, and Daskalakis wave at employees and former colleagues from the edge of the CDC headquarters on Aug. 28. Houry said they would support public health from the "other side," adding: "There's so much going on right now when you look at the devastation that's happening to our staff, our campus and the programs." Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

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Scenes from CDC rally for officials who quit over RFK Jr.'s policies

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