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US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed two of his top aides — Chief of Staff Heather Flick Melanson and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Hannah Anderson — an agency spokesperson confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday (July 16).
The move, which comes just months after both aides took their posts, is part of a broader shake-up at the department as Kennedy pushes an aggressive agenda to restructure HHS.
New acting chief of staff named
Matt Buckham, who currently serves as the Secretary's White House Liaison, will take over as acting chief of staff with immediate effect. In his current role, Buckham oversees the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees across the sprawling health agency.
Restructuring push faces legal roadblocks
Since assuming office earlier this year, Kennedy has proposed sweeping changes at HHS, including a plan to reorganize multiple agencies and significantly reduce staff. However, earlier this month, a federal judge blocked the administration’s attempt to implement that restructuring.
It remains unclear whether a specific event triggered the removal of Melanson and Anderson, or if it was part of Kennedy’s ongoing efforts to reshape the department’s leadership.
Controversial vaccine stance and CDC panel shake-up
Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccines despite overwhelming scientific consensus on their safety and effectiveness, made headlines in June when he dismissed all 17 members of an independent panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine policy. He later replaced them with just seven new hand-picked appointees.
The twin dismissals this week mark the latest development in a turbulent start to Kennedy’s tenure as HHS Secretary, with policy moves that have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, public health officials, and the courts alike.
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