Members of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s family publicly called on him to resign as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Friday, saying his actions pose a threat to Americans' health and wellbeing.
The appeals from prominent members of the Democratic Kennedy family followed a three-hour Senate hearing this week during which Kennedy faced bipartisan questions about his handling of federal health agencies, including efforts to rescind COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and moves to remove senior officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Joseph P. Kennedy III, the former Democratic congressman, wrote on X that “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a threat to the health and wellbeing of every American.” He added, “None of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting.” Kerry Kennedy, his sister, said in a statement that “medical decisions belong in the hands of trained and licensed professionals, not incompetent and misguided leadership,” and urged him to step down as head of the department.
The calls from family members came a day after Kennedy, a Cabinet official in the Trump administration, answered senators’ questions about a series of controversial moves since taking control of the department. Lawmakers pressed him on his rationale for seeking to reverse long-standing COVID-19 vaccine guidance and on his decisions to force out several career officials at the CDC and other agencies. Kennedy defended his actions at the hearing, telling lawmakers he was acting in the public interest.
Republican and Democratic senators alike expressed concern during the hearing about the implications of the shifts in policy and leadership at agencies charged with responding to public health crises. Those concerns have intensified as Kennedy, a high-profile figure with an unconventional background for the role, has moved to reshape the agencies’ pandemic policies and personnel.
The public rebuke from close relatives is an uncommon rupture for a family long associated with public service and Democratic politics. Joseph P. Kennedy III and Kerry Kennedy are among the most prominent family members to break publicly with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. since his confirmation as HHS secretary.
Kennedy has not announced any plans to resign. The calls for his departure add to mounting political pressure and raise questions about the future direction of the department as it navigates pandemic-era policies and public confidence in federal health guidance.