Is RFK Jr. in trouble? Over 1,000 health insiders demand his resignation
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It’s not often that you see insiders turn against their own leadership, but that’s exactly what’s happening in one of America’s largest health agencies.
More than 1,000 current and former staff members have signed a public letter calling for the resignation of the nation’s top health official. Their claim is that his decisions are putting the public’s health at risk.
The moment has sparked national attention and raised serious questions about the future of public health.
The open letter, released Wednesday, is the latest chapter in a saga that’s been building for weeks. It follows the controversial firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, a string of high-profile resignations among senior CDC officials, and a growing sense of unrest within the federal public health community.
The group behind the letter, Save HHS, claims their related petition has already attracted more than 6,000 signatures, including nearly 900 from within HHS itself.
The letter’s signatories accuse Secretary Kennedy of eroding scientific integrity, undermining the safety of the HHS workforce, and making personnel decisions that threaten the very mission of agencies like the CDC.
Among their chief complaints are the appointment of what they call “political ideologues” to key public health roles and the rescinding of COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations without what they consider a transparent, data-driven justification.
The agencies at the heart of this controversy—HHS and the CDC—are responsible for setting disease-prevention policy, managing vaccine recommendations, and responding to public health emergencies.
Their work touches every American, from the flu shots we get each fall to the way we respond to outbreaks of new diseases.
When the people tasked with protecting our health say their own leadership is making that job harder—or even impossible—it’s time to pay attention.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The CDC and HHS have already been under intense scrutiny in recent years, with public trust shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting guidance, and political infighting. Now, with RFK Jr. at the helm, critics say things have gone from bad to worse.
In their letter, staffers warn, “Secretary Kennedy’s actions are compromising the health of this nation, and we demand Secretary Kennedy’s resignation.”
They point to the August 8 attack at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, which left a police officer dead, as evidence of a workplace under siege—both literally and figuratively.
Earlier staff communications had already urged Kennedy to stop spreading "inaccurate health information" and to prioritize worker safety.
Also read: President Trump responds to health rumors after sudden pause in public schedule
For his part, Secretary Kennedy isn’t backing down. HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon defended Kennedy’s record, saying, “From his first day in office, [Kennedy] pledged to check his assumptions at the door—and he asked every HHS colleague to do the same.”
“That commitment to evidence-based science is why, in just seven months, he and the HHS team have accomplished more than any health secretary in history in the fight to end the chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again.”
Kennedy himself took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to make his case directly to the American people. “The American people no longer believe the CDC has their best interests at heart,” he wrote. “The path forward is clear: Restore the CDC’s focus on infectious disease, invest in innovation, and rebuild trust through integrity and transparency.”
The drama is far from over. Kennedy is scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday, where he’ll face tough questions about his leadership and the administration’s 2026 health-care agenda.
With congressional oversight looming and public pressure mounting, the coming weeks could prove pivotal—not just for Kennedy, but for the future of public health policy in the US.
Read next: Social Security’s new portal might be the key to easier benefits—here’s why it matters for you
We want to hear from you! Have you lost trust in public health agencies, or do you think reforms are overdue? How do you feel about the direction of the CDC and HHS under RFK Jr.? Have you noticed changes in the way health information is communicated to the public?
More than 1,000 current and former staff members have signed a public letter calling for the resignation of the nation’s top health official. Their claim is that his decisions are putting the public’s health at risk.
The moment has sparked national attention and raised serious questions about the future of public health.
The open letter, released Wednesday, is the latest chapter in a saga that’s been building for weeks. It follows the controversial firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, a string of high-profile resignations among senior CDC officials, and a growing sense of unrest within the federal public health community.
The group behind the letter, Save HHS, claims their related petition has already attracted more than 6,000 signatures, including nearly 900 from within HHS itself.
The letter’s signatories accuse Secretary Kennedy of eroding scientific integrity, undermining the safety of the HHS workforce, and making personnel decisions that threaten the very mission of agencies like the CDC.
Among their chief complaints are the appointment of what they call “political ideologues” to key public health roles and the rescinding of COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations without what they consider a transparent, data-driven justification.
This type of disturbance is surprising and concerning for a department responsible for safeguarding public health. Image source: WCNC / YouTube
The agencies at the heart of this controversy—HHS and the CDC—are responsible for setting disease-prevention policy, managing vaccine recommendations, and responding to public health emergencies.
Their work touches every American, from the flu shots we get each fall to the way we respond to outbreaks of new diseases.
When the people tasked with protecting our health say their own leadership is making that job harder—or even impossible—it’s time to pay attention.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The CDC and HHS have already been under intense scrutiny in recent years, with public trust shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting guidance, and political infighting. Now, with RFK Jr. at the helm, critics say things have gone from bad to worse.
In their letter, staffers warn, “Secretary Kennedy’s actions are compromising the health of this nation, and we demand Secretary Kennedy’s resignation.”
They point to the August 8 attack at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, which left a police officer dead, as evidence of a workplace under siege—both literally and figuratively.
Earlier staff communications had already urged Kennedy to stop spreading "inaccurate health information" and to prioritize worker safety.
Also read: President Trump responds to health rumors after sudden pause in public schedule
For his part, Secretary Kennedy isn’t backing down. HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon defended Kennedy’s record, saying, “From his first day in office, [Kennedy] pledged to check his assumptions at the door—and he asked every HHS colleague to do the same.”
“That commitment to evidence-based science is why, in just seven months, he and the HHS team have accomplished more than any health secretary in history in the fight to end the chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again.”
Kennedy himself took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to make his case directly to the American people. “The American people no longer believe the CDC has their best interests at heart,” he wrote. “The path forward is clear: Restore the CDC’s focus on infectious disease, invest in innovation, and rebuild trust through integrity and transparency.”
The drama is far from over. Kennedy is scheduled to testify before the Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday, where he’ll face tough questions about his leadership and the administration’s 2026 health-care agenda.
With congressional oversight looming and public pressure mounting, the coming weeks could prove pivotal—not just for Kennedy, but for the future of public health policy in the US.
Read next: Social Security’s new portal might be the key to easier benefits—here’s why it matters for you
