Nine former directors of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have condemned Robert F Kennedy Jr’s leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services, warning in a New York Times essay that his actions “should alarm every American, regardless of political leanings”. The former officials, including Rochelle Walensky and Tom Frieden, said Kennedy’s tenure is “unlike anything our country has ever experienced” and “unacceptable”.
The condemnation comes days after Kennedy sought to dismiss Susan Monarez, the CDC director he had appointed only months earlier. Monarez refused to leave her post and was subsequently fired by President Donald Trump. According to her lawyers, the clash arose after she refused to sign off on Kennedy’s directives, which reportedly involved vaccine policy differences.
In their essay, the former leaders accused Kennedy of focusing on “unproven ‘treatments’” while downplaying vaccines, and of cancelling medical research that “will leave us ill prepared for future health emergencies”. They also said he had replaced “experts on federal health advisory committees with unqualified individuals who share his dangerous and unscientific views”.
The White House has defended Kennedy, stating that the administration aims to make the CDC “more public-facing” and “more accountable”, and to “strengthen our public health system”. Meanwhile, President Trump weighed in on the vaccine debate, posting on Truth Social that pharmaceutical companies should “justify” the success of Covid vaccines, asking for answers “now”.
Deputy Health Secretary Jim O’Neill has been named acting CDC director, though he can serve only temporarily until a permanent leader is confirmed. The upheaval prompted hundreds of CDC staff to rally outside the agency’s Atlanta headquarters, and three senior leaders—Debra Houry, Demetre Daskalakis and Daniel Jernigan—resigned in protest.
