Speaking at the Heritage Foundation on February 9, 2026, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that serving in President Donald Trump’s administration is “a joy,” explaining that Trump gives him freedom to pursue policies no other leader would allow.
Kennedy shared the remark during an event commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Make America Healthy Again initiative. He portrayed Trump as the most pro-business president since George W. Bush and praised his stance on regulation and corporate matters. Kennedy said Trump refuses to tolerate bureaucratic excess and is unconcerned with upsetting powerful interests.
The health secretary, selected by Trump to lead Health and Human Services after the 2024 election, also made provocative comments about expertise and authority. Kennedy argued that reliance on experts resembles both religion and totalitarian systems, drawing criticism from scientists and public health leaders.
Kennedy, once a Democrat who ran for president as an independent before joining the Trump administration, has spent his first year pushing major changes to national health policy. Among them was the withdrawal of federal COVID vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children, a decision that alarmed medical experts citing strong evidence supporting vaccination.
In June 2025, Kennedy removed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with his own appointees—many of whom have expressed skepticism about vaccines—significantly reshaping how federal vaccine guidelines are created. The overhaul marked a sharp departure from relying on epidemiologists, immunologists, and other specialists to inform major public health decisions.
During the Heritage Foundation event, Kennedy framed his campaign against ultra-processed foods as a form of spiritual conflict. He warned that the country could be lost if the issue goes unaddressed, describing it as a large-scale battle affecting human cells and targeting children.
Critics quickly reacted to Kennedy’s comments about Trump. Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, an organization working to elect more scientists to office, said Kennedy has profited from anti-vaccine messaging. She argued that Kennedy and his allies could earn millions by attacking vaccine manufacturers.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, HHS has undergone major restructuring. Roughly 20,000 jobs have been cut (10,000 voluntarily), and about $1.8 billion in NIH research grants have been canceled or frozen, including $500 million in BARDA contracts for mRNA vaccine development. The changes have impacted the CDC, NIH, FDA, and other agencies within the department.
The CDC upheaval triggered an exodus of senior leaders. Former CDC Director Susan Monarez, fired in August 2025 after just 29 days, later told Congress that Kennedy demanded she pre-approve all vaccine policy changes without examining scientific data and dismiss long-standing vaccine policy officials. After refusing, she was removed from her position.
Kennedy defended the overhaul, saying it was needed to fix what he called stagnation within the CDC. He argued that the agency had grown too intertwined with pharmaceutical interests and required deep reform to better serve the public.
In September 2025, Joseph P. Kennedy III—RFK Jr.’s nephew and a former congressman—called Kennedy “a threat to the health and well-being of every American,” highlighting the stark divide within the Kennedy family over RFK Jr.’s public health and vaccine stances.
Representative Haley Stevens harshly criticized Kennedy’s leadership, claiming that his decisions have weakened the nation’s public health system and endangered Americans. In December 2025, she filed articles of impeachment accusing him of undermining public health, increasing healthcare costs, and harming key research institutions, including those in Michigan. The filing represented one of the most forceful congressional actions against him.
The department’s decisions directly influence the health outcomes of hundreds of millions of Americans.
Kennedy’s appointment was widely viewed as an unconventional pick by Trump. His tenure has been shaped by disputes over possible conflicts of interest and concerns that certain policy changes could financially benefit him or his associates.
Supporters contend that Kennedy is raising valid issues about rising chronic disease rates and challenging what they see as excessive pharmaceutical influence in public health. They argue that increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions show that the existing system has failed Americans.
The Make America Healthy Again initiative, referenced by Kennedy during his speech, has become a defining message for those advocating for food policy reform, reduced dependence on pharmaceuticals, and what supporters call a more holistic view of health.
The extent of Trump’s involvement in Kennedy’s initiatives was highlighted during former CDC Director Susan Monarez’s testimony to the Senate HELP Committee in September 2025. Monarez said Kennedy told her he had spoken with Trump “every day” about revamping the childhood vaccine schedule.
Trump’s continued support for Kennedy became even clearer after bipartisan criticism during a tense Senate Finance Committee hearing in September 2025. Even senators who had backed Kennedy’s confirmation questioned his actions. Instead of distancing himself, Trump publicly defended him, saying, “I like the fact that he’s different.”
