More than 1,000 current and former employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a letter on Wednesday calling for Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign, citing concerns that his leadership has “compromised the health of this nation.” The letter was also addressed to members of Congress.
The letter follows a turbulent week at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which operates under HHS. Officials announced the firing of newly confirmed CDC Director Susan Monarez, prompting the resignation of four other senior CDC leaders in protest. Reports indicate Monarez’s departure was linked to her refusal to approve new vaccine restrictions.
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“Secretary Kennedy continues to endanger the nation’s health,” the letter stated. Signers cited several concerns, including Monarez’s dismissal, the resignations of senior CDC leaders, the appointment of politically affiliated personnel to key positions, and the rescinding of the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines.
Last month, more than 750 HHS employees wrote to Kennedy after a shooting at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, urging him to affirm the agency’s scientific integrity and ensure workforce safety. An HHS spokesperson said at the time that Kennedy was “standing firmly with CDC employees, both on the ground and across every center, ensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority.”
The Wednesday letter emphasized that signers acted in their personal capacities and on personal time, without using government resources. It also called on the president and Congress to appoint a new HHS secretary if Kennedy declines to resign, stating that the replacement should have the qualifications and experience necessary to ensure that health policy is guided by peer-reviewed science.
HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon responded, saying, “Secretary Kennedy has been clear: The CDC has been broken for a long time. Restoring it as the world’s most trusted guardian of public health will take sustained reform and more personnel changes.” The statement added that Kennedy’s team has pursued reforms intended to strengthen evidence-based public health initiatives.
Some members of Congress have also criticized Kennedy’s leadership. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) called on the White House to remove him following Monarez’s departure. At the same time, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cited Kennedy’s history of opposing vaccines and promoting conspiracy theories in calling for his resignation. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said the departures at the CDC will require congressional oversight.
