Latest news with #HeatherFlickMelanson
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
RFK Jr.'s Top Ranks Rocked by Personality Clashes
WASHINGTON—Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. top aides have become embroiled in personality clashes, culminating this week in a White House-backed shake-up to calm infighting at the department. Kennedy's chief of staff, Heather Flick Melanson, and his deputy chief of staff for policy, Hannah Anderson, are no longer working for the secretary, according to people familiar with the matter. The departures came Tuesday after months of personality clashes between the two women and Kennedy's longtime aide Stefanie Spear, who was press secretary for his presidential campaign and now serves as deputy chief of staff and a senior counselor.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Kennedy Fires Two Top Aides in Health Department Shake-Up
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired two of his top aides this week, shaking up his leadership team at the Department of Health and Human Services amid an aggressive effort to reshape public health policy. The firings included Heather Flick Melanson, his chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, his deputy chief of staff for policy, according to two people familiar with the matter. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the personnel changes. The reason for the ousters, which were first reported by CNN, was not immediately clear. In recent weeks, Mr. Kennedy has pushed ahead with a plan to fire about 20,000 staff members from the health department and pare down 28 divisions to 15 — all amid court challenges. His pressure campaign to rid the nation's food supply of synthetic dyes has produced some results. Under Mr. Kennedy, the department has also taken a series of actions around vaccines that have chipped away at public confidence in the efficacy and safety of the shots. He fired all 17 members of a federal vaccine policy board that makes influential decisions on the availability of the shots. At least three of the people Mr. Kennedy selected to replace the experts he ousted have taken part in lawsuits casting doubt on the safety or efficacy of vaccines. In its first meeting, the new panel voted to rescind recommendations for flu vaccines that contain the ingredient thimerosal, which Mr. Kennedy has long linked to harms. Mr. Kennedy also continued an about-face he has made since his confirmation hearings, when he sought to assure lawmakers he was not 'anti-vaccine' despite a long history of questioning immunizations. In a recent appearance on Tucker Carlson's podcast, Mr. Kennedy repeated the claim that vaccines introduced since 1986 'were ushered in without safety studies.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
RFK Jr. ousts two Trump loyalists from HHS top ranks
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two loyalists of President Trump who were serving in top-ranking posts at his department, multiple people familiar with the situation tell CBS News. Multiple federal health officials expressed surprise at news of the firings, which ousted chief of staff Heather Flick Melanson and top policy adviser Hannah Anderson. Anderson and Flick had led Kennedy's immediate office alongside two other aides, senior counselor Stefanie Spear and executive secretary Cortney McCormick. Spear is a longtime aide to Kennedy, dating back to his longshot presidential bid. Two federal health officials said Anderson and Flick were seen as outsiders to Kennedy's base, installed by the White House to keep tabs on Kennedy and make sure the president's agenda was being prioritized. "The White House pretty much parachuted Heather in there to tether RFK and Stefanie a bit," one official told CBS News. A Trump ally familiar with the situation praised Anderson, saying she was "a person of impeccable integrity" who "loved working for President Trump." A spokesperson for the department said that Kennedy has named Matt Buckham, currently the HHS liaison to the White House, as his acting chief of staff. Bukcham currently oversees the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees, the spokesperson said. "Secretary Kennedy thanks the outgoing leadership for their service and looks forward to working closely with Mr. Buckham as the Department continues advancing its mission to Make America Healthy Again," the spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson did not comment on why they were dismissed. CNN previously reported news that they had been ousted. Their firings come after other Trump loyalists have left the department in recent weeks. Scott Rowell, who had served as the deputy chief of staff for operations, also left the department. Rowell previously worked as a top-ranking HHS official during the first Trump administration.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fires two top deputies at HHS
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two top deputies at the Department of Health and Human Services, ABC News has learned. Heather Flick Melanson, Kennedy's chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, deputy chief of staff of policy, are departing, according to a department spokesperson and another person familiar with the decisions. Neither Flick nor Anderson immediately responded to an ABC News request for comment. No reason was given for the ousters. The person familiar with the situation told ABC that Kennedy "has every right to make personnel decisions." MORE: Video: Layoffs begin at HHS, including at the FDA and CDC "Secretary Kennedy has made a leadership change within the Immediate Office of the Secretary," according to a statement provided by an HHS spokesperson to ABC News. "Effective immediately, Matt Buckham will serve as Acting Chief of Staff." "Mr. Buckham currently serves as the Kennedy's White House liaison at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversees the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees across the agency. He brings valuable experience in personnel strategy and organizational management to this new role," the statement continued. "Secretary Kennedy thanks the outgoing leadership for their service and looks forward to working closely with Mr. Buckham as the Department continues advancing its mission to Make America Healthy Again," the statement concluded.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
RFK Jr. Replaces Chief of Staff in Shakeup at Top US Health Agency
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s chief of staff Heather Flick Melanson departed after six months in the role, according to people familiar with the matter. Kennedy has appointed Matt Buckham as acting chief of staff effective immediately. Flick Melanson served in two administrations, according to her bio on the Republican National Lawyers Association page. She couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
