Jerome Adams, who served as US Surgeon-General during President Donald Trump’s first administration, is calling for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr to be fired as controversy continues to swirl over his handling of vaccine approvals, with even members of the Kennedy family calling for him to resign.
When asked by CNN on Saturday if Trump should fire Kennedy, Adams said: “I absolutely believe he should, for the sake of the nation and the sake of his legacy.”
Adams’ comments come after a contentious hearing last week where Kennedy was grilled by both Democrats and Republicans about his views on vaccines and the recent exodus at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, including the resignation of its director, over tighter vaccine policies Kennedy was pushing.
“I’m deeply concerned about the health and safety of our nation under RFK’s current leadership,” Adams told CNN, later adding: “I absolutely believe he is uniquely damaging the credibility of federal agencies like the CDC, (National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration) and he’s putting us at risk.”
He also raised concerns about Trump’s close relationship with Kennedy, arguing that the President should take charge of health policy.
“I’m just flabbergasted… that he seems to have President Trump in a thrall. President Trump is clearly the leader on foreign policy… the economy and tariffs. But when it comes to health he’s doing whatever RFK says.”
During Thursday’s congressional hearing, Kennedy defended the changes at the CDC, claiming that they “were absolutely necessary adjustments to restore the agency to its role as the world’s gold standard public health agency”.
AP reports that Kennedy’s sister, Kerry Kennedy, and his nephew, Joseph P Kennedy III, have also issued scathing statements in calling for him to resign.
“Robert F Kennedy Jr is a threat to the health and well-being of every American,” Joseph P Kennedy III posted on social media, adding: “None of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting.”
His aunt echoed those claims, saying “medical decisions belong in the hands of trained and licensed professionals, not incompetent and misguided leadership”.
This is not the first time Kennedy has been the subject of his family’s ire. Several of his relatives had objected to his presidential run in the last campaign, while others wrote to senators earlier this year, calling for them to reject his nomination to be Trump’s Health Secretary due to views they considered disqualifying on life-saving vaccines.
CNN article – Trump’s former surgeon general calls for RFK Jr. to be fired (Open access)
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