I respectfully disagree with the Save HHS letter calling for Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s resignation. While concerns have been raised about recent developments at the Department of Health and Human Services, these must be balanced against the urgent need for bold reform and restoration of public trust in health institutions.
For decades, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has stood at the intersection of health and environment. His legal victories against some of the country’s most powerful polluters have directly protected communities from toxic exposures that cause cancer, respiratory disease, and other chronic conditions. He understands, perhaps better than anyone, that true public health begins with clean air, clean water, safe food, and an environment that sustains human life.
He has demonstrated not just passion, but results. His track record shows that he is willing to stand up to industries and government agencies alike when they put profits over people.
Kennedy pledged to restore integrity and transparency to the government. He speaks openly about the “corporate capture” of federal agencies, and he has concrete plans to ensure that institutions like the EPA, USDA, and FDA serve the people—not lobbyists or special interests. At a moment when trust in government is at historic lows, this kind of honesty and reform-minded leadership is exactly what America needs.
Dismissals and appointments, though disruptive, are often necessary to ensure alignment with a coherent vision. Secretary Kennedy aims to refocus CDC priorities—specifically on infectious disease—and reconfigure vaccine advisory bodies. These actions, while unsettling to some, are part of a broader modernization strategy.
Reforms Are Necessary and Long Overdue
Kennedy has shown a willingness to shake up a CDC long plagued by bureaucratic inertia and declining credibility. His swift action—even if controversial—signals a break from the status quo and a clear refusal to let entrenched interests dictate health policy. As his team noted:
“From his first day in office, he pledged to check his assumptions at the door…that commitment to evidence-based science is why…he and the HHS team have accomplished more than any health secretary in history in the fight to end the chronic disease epidemic.”
- RFK Jr. launched the MAHA agenda to shift HHS from a disease-management system to one focused on prevention, wellness, and lifestyle. It centers on addressing chronic illness through better diet, environmental awareness, and reducing pharmaceutical dependence.
Leadership Means Making Tough Decisions
Dismissals and appointments, though disruptive, are often necessary to ensure alignment with a coherent vision. Secretary Kennedy aims to refocus CDC priorities—specifically on infectious disease—and reconfigure vaccine advisory bodies. These actions, while unsettling to some, are part of a broader modernization strategy.
- The CDC under RFK Jr. is being redirected to prioritize infectious disease response, with chronic disease responsibilities shifting to the AHA.
- RFK Jr. has driven sweeping restructuring, cutting around 10,000 to 20,000 jobs, and merging overlapping offices across HHS. He claims this will save billions and reduce inefficiencies.
Rebuilding Trust through Transparency
Kennedy’s critics argue his rhetoric contributes to public distrust; Kennedy counters that real trust must be restored through structural clarity and openness, not by perpetuating traditional mistrust. His reforms and appointments reflect a commitment to resetting public health messaging, even if it means challenging conventional wisdom.
- His platform includes rigorous advocacy for vaccine safety and efficacy based on scientific evidence. He highlights the need for independent research funding at agencies like the CDC and promotes informed consent by ensuring patients have accurate information regarding vaccination choices and their risks/benefits.
Misplaced Criticism Risks Paralysis
Calls for resignation from over 1,000 HHS staffers, nine former CDC directors, Bernie Sanders, and multiple public health organizations highlight the deep concerns—but resignation would likely result in further chaos at a critical moment, leaving the department leaderless and directionless. The death of a police officer in the CDC shooting and resignations of key health leaders underscore the urgent need for steady leadership, not abandonment.
The Real Question: Who Can Deliver Lasting Reform?
The issue isn’t loyalty to Secretary Kennedy personified—it’s whether any qualified leader has the will to overhaul broken institutional culture in the service of public health. RFK Jr. frames public health in a holistic way as deeply intertwined with social, spiritual, and emotional well-being, citing disconnection, rising mental health issues, and chronic diseases as parts of a broader societal malaise. Kennedy’s adversaries see his approach as intolerable—but for many, it may represent the only way forward.
Finally, Kennedy has the ability to bring people together across political and cultural divides. At a time when health policy is often polarized, his leadership is helping to refocus the national conversation on shared values: protecting children, reducing chronic disease, ensuring safe food and medicine, and building a health system worthy of public trust.
Republished from the author’s Substack
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