The message is impossible to miss: “It’s time for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to resign.” That headline stretches across a website launched this week by more than 1,000 current and former employees of the Department of Health and Human Services.
In a letter released Wednesday, they called on Kennedy to step down as secretary, saying his leadership has put the agency in turmoil. The signers — representing more than a dozen federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration — said they had reached a breaking point.
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The letter, addressed to Kennedy and Congress, emphasizes that staff are exercising their First Amendment right to speak out. They cite the oath of office each took, committing them not only to defend the United States but also to uphold the Constitution in a way that prioritizes public safety. In their view, Kennedy’s actions are putting the health of the nation at risk.
The signers pointed to a series of actions under Kennedy’s leadership. They highlighted the firing of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez, the resignations of several other top CDC officials and the appointment of politically motivated figures to roles traditionally guided by science. They include vaccine skeptics Dr. Robert Malone and Retsef Levi on the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel.
The letter also noted Kennedy’s refusal to meet with CDC experts, decisions on COVID-19 vaccine authorization and public statements questioning professional medical guidance.
Employees emphasized that HHS staff are nonpartisan, implementing policies based on science rather than politics. The letter concludes with a call for Kennedy to resign or for his replacement by a new secretary whose experience and judgment ensure that health policy is informed by independent, peer-reviewed science.
HHS responds to letter
In a statement to Straight Arrow News, HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon said Kennedy is working to repair a “broken” CDC and return the agency to its intended role.
“From his first day in office, he pledged to check his assumptions at the door — and he asked every HHS colleague to do the same,” Nixon said. “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 speaks through opinion piece
A day before the letter was sent, Kennedy claimed in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that he is working to restore Americans’ trust in public health.
He criticized years of politicized science and government bureaucracy, saying agencies like the CDC lost sight of their mission. Kennedy cited COVID-19 policies, such as cloth masks, extended school closures and booster shots for healthy children, as examples of what he called “irrational” government decisions.
Previous letter sent to RFK Jr.
After a gunman opened fire on the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters on Aug. 8, more than 750 HHS employees sent a letter urging Kennedy to stop spreading “inaccurate health information” and to ensure the safety of HHS staff. More than 6,000 people have now signed the letter. An HHS spokesperson called the letter an “attempt to politicize a tragedy,” according to CNN.
The spokesperson said Kennedy is “standing firmly with CDC employees — both on the ground and across every center — ensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC ‘a shining star among global health agencies.’”
States, health officials pushback against RFK Jr.’s guidance
The employees’ complaints come as state health officials and medical organizations push back against Kennedy’s leadership at HHS, including his handling of vaccine guidance and public health messaging, as well as rhetoric that critics say undermines established health recommendations.
California, Oregon and Washington are joining forces to launch a regional “health alliance” to unify vaccine guidance for their residents. The initiative aims to provide clear, science-based advice on vaccines for COVID-19, the flu and routine childhood immunizations.
In a joint statement, the governors of the three states criticized the agency, saying it has shifted from science to ideology, a change they warn could put public health at risk.
In a similar move, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended COVID-19 vaccines for all children 6 to 23 months, including high-risk kids, offering guidance that differs from the CDC. The group said in August that the shots provide an extra layer of protection for young children.
