The list of prominent voices who’ve called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign is not short. Everyone from members of Congress to leading medical organizations, members of Kennedy’s family to those who’ve worked with him at the Department of Health and Human Services, all agree on a simple conclusion: RFK Jr. should not be in his current position.
It’s reached the point at which six former surgeons general — after having served in the Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden administrations, respectively — decided to link arms and write a new opinion piece for The Washington Post, warning Americans about the degree to which they see Kennedy as a public menace.
Today, in keeping with those oaths, we are compelled to speak with one voice to say that the actions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are endangering the health of the nation. Never before have we issued a joint public warning like this. But the profound, immediate and unprecedented threat that Kennedy’s policies and positions pose to the nation’s health cannot be ignored.
As best as I can tell, this is unprecedented. Former surgeons general have spoken out on a variety of issues after having left office, but this is the first time that six former surgeons general — Jerome Adams, Richard Carmona, Joycelyn Elders, Vivek Murthy, Antonia Novello and David Satcher — have issued a joint public declaration, urging the public to recognize the nation’s health secretary as dangerous.
“Rather than combating the rapid spread of health misinformation with facts and clarity, Kennedy is amplifying it,” the sextet added. “The consequences aren’t abstract. They are measured in lives lost, disease outbreaks and an erosion of public trust that will take years to rebuild.”
They added, “It’s worth reminding ourselves what Kennedy puts at risk. The FDA approves lifesaving drugs and holds pharmaceutical companies to high standards of safety and effectiveness. NIH pursues and funds cutting-edge research. CDC leads in emergencies from pandemics to opioids to natural disasters. Agencies at HHS spearhead efforts to address issues regarding mental health, substance-use disorders, primary care shortages and health insurance coverage for millions of seniors, disabled individuals, and low-income Americans. Mismanaging HHS endangers America’s health, undermines national security and damages our economic resilience and international credibility.”
The retired surgeons general concluded: “Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk. He has rejected science, misled the public and compromised the health of Americans.” The op-ed did not explicitly use the word “resign,” but given the circumstances, they didn’t have to. RFK Jr. hasn’t responded to the piece, though given the thoroughness of the writers’ condemnation, it stands to reason that he’ll say very little about it and hope the public doesn’t notice it.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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