In a recent surge of public outcry, Senator Bernie Sanders has joined calls for the resignation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary under former President Donald Trump. This demand follows a series of chaotic events across various U.S. health agencies. In an op-ed published in the New York Times on Saturday, Sanders accused Kennedy of “endangering the health of the American people now and into the future,” asserting emphatically, “He must resign.”
Sanders criticized the Trump administration's claims of wanting to “Make America Healthy Again,” a slogan he supports but argues contradicts their actions. He pointed to the recent firing of Susan Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the resignations of four other top CDC officials. These officials reportedly resigned in protest after Monarez “refused to act as a rubber stamp” for Kennedy's “dangerous policies.”
“Despite the overwhelming opposition of the medical community,” Sanders noted, “Secretary Kennedy has continued his longstanding crusade against vaccines and his advocacy of conspiracy theories that have been rejected repeatedly by scientific experts.” He emphasized that Kennedy’s statements contradict a vast body of scientific evidence, citing Kennedy’s absurd claim that “there’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.”
Sanders further highlighted the lack of credible support for Kennedy's views, stating, “Who supports Secretary Kennedy’s views? Not credible scientists and doctors.” He criticized Kennedy’s reliance on discredited figures, pointing out that one expert he cites had his medical license revoked and his study retracted from publication.
“The reality is that Secretary Kennedy has profited from and built a career on sowing mistrust in vaccines,” Sanders added. “Now, as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, he is using his authority to launch a full-blown war on science, on public health, and on truth itself.”
Addressing the consequences of Kennedy's actions, Sanders lamented the state of the U.S. healthcare system, warning that Kennedy's anti-science rhetoric could hinder Americans' access to lifesaving vaccines. “Already, the Trump administration has effectively taken away Covid vaccines from many healthy younger adults and kids, unless they fight their way through our broken healthcare system,” he stated.
He stressed that this situation could lead to increased bureaucracy and higher out-of-pocket costs for individuals trying to secure vaccines. Sanders also expressed concern that Kennedy might target the childhood immunization schedule, which includes essential vaccines that protect against diseases such as measles, chickenpox, and polio. “The danger here is that diseases that have been virtually wiped out because of safe and effective vaccines will resurface and cause enormous harm,” he warned.
In the wake of these events, the Trump administration has faced rare bipartisan criticism following the firing of Monarez, which coincided with significant budget cuts to the CDC and rising fears of political interference in public health matters. Meanwhile, Kennedy continues to make questionable health claims, drawing backlash from experts and lawmakers alike.
Since taking charge of the health department, Kennedy, a long-time anti-vaccine advocate, has dismissed health agency workers and entertained conspiracy theories, leading to widespread concern about his leadership. Recently, over 750 current and former employees from U.S. health agencies signed a letter denouncing Kennedy as an “existential threat to public health.” They accused him of being “complicit in dismantling America’s public health infrastructure and endangering the nation’s health by repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information.”
