ATLANTA - The White House is standing by its decision to remove CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month into her tenure, describing the move as necessary to align the agency with President Donald Trump’s broader health agenda.

What we know:

Monarez’s dismissal set off a wave of resignations among senior CDC leaders and prompted a protest outside the agency’s Atlanta headquarters Thursday. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered to support the departing officials and to express concern about the direction of the agency.

In a statement Wednesday, Monarez’s attorneys said she was ousted because she refused to "rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives." The White House countered that she was not in step with the president’s goals. "We need strong leadership that will go in there and

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