The Briefing with Jen Psaki: "The CDC is being 'transformed into a weapon': Top doctor exits CDC with a warning"

MSNBC | August 29, 2025

Episode Overview

Jen Psaki delves into the alarming politicization of independent government agencies under the Trump administration, with a special focus on the CDC. The episode features a powerful interview with Dr. Dimitri Daskalakis, a senior CDC expert who resigned in protest, and covers the broader ramifications of Trump's unprecedented firings of nonpartisan officials. The episode also explores the national response to RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine agenda, recent violence targeting the CDC, and the deployment of the National Guard in U.S. cities—all against a backdrop of political upheaval and public health crisis.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. The Erosion of Independent Federal Agencies (01:15–10:05)

• Presidential Overreach: Psaki outlines how President Trump has aggressively fired independent officials across critical agencies (NLRB, EEOC, MSPB, FTC) in clear violation of norms and likely legal protections, a move unprecedented in modern U.S. governance.
• Supreme Court Complicity: The conservative majority on the Supreme Court allowed these firings but drew a legal line on the Federal Reserve—one Trump promptly ignored by firing Board Member Lisa Cook (06:00).
  • Quote, Psaki (06:58): “If you give Donald Trump an inch, he will always take a mile… he just blatantly leaped over that red line.”
• Wave of Backlash: Amid these firings, federal officials, notably at FEMA and the CDC, publicly resist by writing open letters and resigning, risking their own careers for institutional integrity.

2. RFK Jr. and the CDC Crisis (08:10–10:05)

• RFK Jr.'s Influence: As Health Secretary, RFK Jr. replaces CDC’s scientific panels with anti-vaccine skeptics and exerts pressure for unscientific policy changes, fostering internal chaos.
  • Quote, Psaki (09:07): “Back in June, he fired every member of the CDC's expert panel on vaccines and replaced them with his own handpicked group of vaccine experts—skeptics, I should say. They're not experts.”
• Violence and Silence: Psaki recounts a traumatic shooting at CDC headquarters, emphasizing staff distress and RFK Jr.'s lack of support or public acknowledgment following the event.
• Mass Walkout: The firing of CDC Director and senior leaders triggers a mass walkout, with hundreds of CDC workers protesting attempts to politicize public health.

3. Dr. Dimitri Daskalakis Resignation & Warning (10:05–24:11)

Walkout and Personal Motivation (14:09–16:00)

• Dr. Daskalakis describes the overwhelming scene of support as he leaves the CDC, underscoring the deep bonds among public health professionals.
  • Quote, Daskalakis (14:54): “It was both with joy as well as with sadness… those images are burned in my mind as something that really reminds me of just how much CDC should be and could be about love.”

Why He Resigned (16:00–19:20)

• CDC as a Political Weapon: Dr. Daskalakis expresses his alarm at the CDC being “transformed into a weapon" for ideological ends, calling this a threat to national security and public trust.
  • Quote (16:53): “I am seeing CDC being transformed into a weapon where people are not allowed to share scientific data… that is harm.”
• Lack of Scientific Input: Details experiencing critical policy changes—like the immunization schedule—being made without input from experts; decisions made on ideological or political grounds, not data.
  • Quote (19:13): “My job as a scientist is to say, can we also see the data that led to that decision? And that data was never provided…”

RFK Jr., Eugenics Rhetoric, and Public Endangerment (21:03–23:48)

• Disturbing Ideology: Dr. Daskalakis draws explicit connections between the administration’s public health rhetoric and eugenic thinking, describing statements from RFK Jr. about “survival of the fittest” as dangerous for society.
  • Quote (21:27): “The whole rhetoric… is really that only the strong survive.”
  • Describes an instance where RFK Jr. compared breeding chickens for "superior genetics" after an avian flu outbreak, drawing an analogy to human public health policy—an idea Daskalakis squarely rejects as unethical and unscientific.

Call to Action and Legacy (23:48–24:11)

• Dr. Daskalakis frames his resignation as a stand against fascism, connecting his act to his grandfather's sacrifice in WWII Greece.
  • Quote: “I’m resigning to make him and his legacy proud.”
• Psaki commends his bravery and encourages hope in the principled stand of those resisting from within government.

White House Press Briefing Highlights (25:50–33:07)

• Gun Violence & Mental Health: Jen Psaki fiercely frames gun violence as a gun issue, not merely mental health (26:25–27:34).
  • Quote (26:25): “It is definitely a gun thing, and any rational person knows that…”
• CDC Leadership and the RFK Jr. Agenda: Psaki explains the CDC director’s ouster for refusing to “rubber stamp unscientific reckless directives” (27:54).
  • The new acting director is a former Peter Thiel employee, described by administration insiders as an unquestioning loyalist to RFK Jr.
• Gun Reform Advocacy: Psaki calls out policymakers for offering “thoughts and prayers” instead of supporting gun reforms, referencing the high rates of school shootings (28:12–29:34).

National Guard Deployment & Constitutional Crisis (33:07–37:19)

Interview with Philadelphia D.A. Larry Krasner

• Trump’s Militarization of Cities: Krasner criticizes President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to police U.S. cities, warning it’s a tactic to “normalize military presence in American cities” (35:53).
  • Quote, Krasner (36:12): “Well, it looks like January 6th, except as a redo… What he is up to is making it seem normal for the president to take powers that do not belong to him.”
• Legal Warning: Krasner emphasizes that if National Guard troops violate laws in his city, he will prosecute them—Trump cannot pardon state crimes (37:19).

2026 Maine Senate Race: Graham Platner Interview (39:14–44:46)

• Progressive Challenge: Platner, an oyster farmer, Marine, and Army veteran, runs against Susan Collins on a "working-class coalition" platform.
  • Quote, Platner (40:19): “Susan Collins has been in the senate for almost 30 years. And in those 30 years, material conditions have gotten worse for working class Mainers.”
• Coalition Building: Platner describes crossing ideological lines, focusing on healthcare, wages, and cost of living—shared struggles for Mainers regardless of party.
  • Quote (41:51): “Down here in the real world, working class people have effectively the same interests… that’s going to touch you whether you voted for Donald Trump or you didn’t.”
• Campaign Strategy: Emphasizes grassroots, "old shoe leather" organizing over flashy media, and a commitment to run regardless of who else enters the race (44:07).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jen Psaki (01:15): “Presidents are not all powerful… there are jobs that are so important they must be protected from presidential overreach.”
• Dr. Dimitri Daskalakis (16:53): “I am seeing CDC being transformed into a weapon where people are not allowed to share scientific data… that is harm.”
• Jen Psaki (19:20): “That’s the core issue here at play.”
• Dr. Daskalakis (21:27): “The whole rhetoric… is really that only the strong survive.”
• Larry Krasner (36:12): “He is trying to make people think it’s normal to put a bunch of military vehicles and troops… in the middle of a civilian population where God knows what they will do.”
• Graham Platner (41:51): “Down here in the real world, working class people have effectively the same interests…”

Structuring & Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-----------------------------------------------------|---------|---------| | Presidential Overreach & Supreme Court | 01:15 | 10:05 | | RFK Jr. & The CDC Crisis | 08:10 | 10:05 | | Dr. Daskalakis Resignation & Interview | 10:05 | 24:11 | | White House Press Briefing Highlights | 25:50 | 33:07 | | National Guard/Constitutional Issues: Larry Krasner | 33:07 | 37:19 | | Maine Senate Race: Graham Platner | 39:14 | 44:46 |

Conclusion

Jen Psaki’s episode starkly details the endangerment of independent, science-based governance in the U.S. and the cascade of resistance from within. The episode’s heart is Dr. Daskalakis’s first-hand warning about the CDC’s politicization under pressure from RFK Jr., with his resignation amplifying the stakes. The show weaves together ongoing threats to democracy, public health, and civil society while lifting up voices fighting for integrity and reform.