President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon officially nominated acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Susan Monarez to fully lead the centers through his second administration.

Monarez, who has led the centers for the past few months, will still need to be confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, she will be the first CDC director to have Senate approval, because of a change passed by Congress in 2022, CBS News reported.

The nominee replaces Dr. Dave Weldon, who used to represent Florida in the House. Weldon's name was withdrawn last month over concerns he would not get the votes needed for confirmation.

"As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement. 

"Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr.," he continued. "Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!"

Monarez could be seen as an unorthodox choice because of her background of having a PhD instead of being a medical doctor. But she has post doctoral training in Microbiology and Immunology from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Her nomination means she beat out other favorites for the role including former Texas GOP Rep. Michael Burgess, who previously worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist, and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.