Over 1,000 HHS Workers Demand RFK Jr. Resignation in New Letter/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Over 1,000 current and former federal health workers signed a letter demanding Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s resignation. The revolt follows his ousting of CDC leadership and controversial reforms. Kennedy insists his changes are restoring public trust, but critics say they endanger national health.
RFK Jr. Resignation Push Quick Looks
- 1,000+ health workers demand Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign as HHS secretary.
- Letter warns Kennedy’s policies are “endangering the nation’s health.”
- Critics cite his removal of CDC Director Susan Monarez and resignations of four senior leaders.
- Kennedy replaced leadership with investor Jim O’Neill, known for promoting unproven COVID treatments.
- Workers urge Trump and Congress to appoint a secretary guided by peer-reviewed science.
- HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon defends reforms, saying CDC was “broken for a long time.”
- Kennedy argued in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that his changes restore trust lost in COVID era.
- A prior letter last month urged Kennedy to stop spreading inaccurate health information.
- Attack on CDC headquarters, linked to anti-vaccine sentiment, underscored tensions.
- Nine former CDC directors warned Trump-era changes make protecting public health harder.
Over 1,000 HHS Workers Demand RFK Jr.’s Resignation in New Letter
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — More than 1,000 federal health workers past and present are openly rebelling against Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., demanding he resign in a scathing letter that accuses him of jeopardizing the nation’s health system.
The letter, sent to Kennedy, President Donald Trump, and members of Congress, reflects mounting turmoil at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) since Kennedy assumed leadership.
“We warn the President, Congress, and the Public that Secretary Kennedy’s actions are compromising the health of this nation,” the signatories wrote. If Kennedy refuses to resign, they added, Trump and lawmakers should appoint someone “whose qualifications and experience ensure that health policy is informed by independent and unbiased peer-reviewed science.”
Leadership Shakeups at CDC
The protest follows Kennedy’s ouster of CDC Director Susan Monarez late last month. Within days, four senior leaders resigned, citing deep concerns over Kennedy’s approach. He then installed Jim O’Neill, a Silicon Valley investor who has advocated for unproven COVID-19 treatments, as acting director.
Critics say the moves dismantle expertise at a time of rising public health threats. Kennedy, however, argues the changes are necessary to rebuild credibility.
Kennedy Defends His Tenure
“Restoring it as the world’s most trusted guardian of public health will take sustained reform and more personnel changes,” Nixon said.
Kennedy echoed that defense in a Wall Street Journal op-ed this week, writing: “Most CDC rank-and-file staff are honest public servants. Under this renewed mission, they can do their jobs as scientists without bowing to politics.”
Previous Warnings and Violence
This isn’t the first sign of unrest. In August, a separate group of federal workers urged Kennedy to stop spreading “inaccurate health information” and recommit to scientific integrity. That letter came days after an armed man attacked the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, killing a police officer. The assailant reportedly blamed COVID vaccines for his health problems.
At the time, HHS dismissed attempts to connect Kennedy’s reforms with the tragedy as “politicizing a mass shooting.”
Former CDC Directors Weigh In
On Monday, nine former CDC directors published a guest essay in The New York Times, warning that Kennedy’s leadership threatens public health at a critical moment.
“During our respective C.D.C. tenures, we did not always agree with our leaders, but they never gave us reason to doubt they would rely on data-driven insights,” they wrote. The firings and resignations, they argued, will make it “far more difficult” for the CDC to fulfill its mission.
Political Implications
The uproar underscores broader tensions between the Trump administration and the scientific community. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has taken a combative stance toward established health institutions. For his critics, the latest letter signals a breaking point in trust.
For Kennedy and his allies, however, the resignations and protests are proof that entrenched bureaucracies resist change. Nixon maintained that Kennedy’s goal is a “renewed mission” free from partisan politics.
What Comes Next
Whether Trump will continue to back Kennedy amid the growing revolt remains an open question. With public health once again becoming a political flashpoint, the demand for new leadership at HHS could intensify as Congress returns from recess.
