Members of the Kennedy family are calling for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign from his position as Health Secretary following a contentious congressional hearing. During this recent session, Kennedy faced bipartisan scrutiny regarding his management of federal health agencies, which has drawn significant criticism.
Kennedy’s sister, Kerry Kennedy, and his nephew, Joseph P. Kennedy III, issued strong statements on March 15, 2024, demanding his resignation from the Health and Human Services Department. Their calls for action came just one day after Kennedy defended his controversial decisions to roll back COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and to dismiss several high-ranking officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In a post on social media platform X, Joseph P. Kennedy III expressed his concerns, stating, “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a threat to the health and wellbeing of every American.” He further emphasized that “none of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting.” Kerry Kennedy echoed these sentiments, asserting that “medical decisions belong in the hands of trained and licensed professionals, not incompetent and misguided leadership.”
This family discontent is not new. Several relatives had previously opposed RFK Jr.’s presidential aspirations in the last election cycle. Earlier this year, some family members reached out to senators to express their concerns over his nomination as Health Secretary, citing his anti-vaccine views as disqualifying. Kennedy has been a prominent figure in the anti-vaccine movement for years and has recently sought to implement his agenda at the highest levels of the U.S. public health system.
The changes initiated under his leadership have resulted in thousands of layoffs within federal health agencies and a substantial overhaul of vaccine guidelines, many of which contradict the assurances he provided during his confirmation hearings. These developments have caused alarm among medical professionals and officials in numerous Democratic-led states, prompting them to issue their own vaccine recommendations.
The ongoing tensions within the Kennedy family highlight a broader debate about public health policy and leadership in America. As Kennedy continues to navigate these challenges, the implications of his actions may resonate far beyond his immediate family.
