Nine former directors and acting directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a joint opinion piece in the New York Times attacking Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his sweeping reforms of the agency. The group, whose tenures span from the Carter administration through President Trump’s first term, accused Kennedy of undermining public health by firing staff, questioning vaccines, and restructuring advisory boards.
The article, described by critics as defensive and self-congratulatory, highlighted the ex-directors’ concern over Kennedy’s support for federal legislation that would end Medicaid coverage for illegal immigrants and for able-bodied adults refusing to work. The nine opposed the measure, while Kennedy defended it as restoring integrity to taxpayer-funded health care.
Kennedy’s reforms have included dismissing thousands of bureaucrats, reshaping public health advisory committees, investigating vaccine safety, and promoting alternative treatments. His critics argue such moves erode trust in the CDC. But public frustration with the agency’s COVID-era policies—mask mandates for toddlers, church closures, shuttered schools, and selective approval of mass protests—has left many Americans demanding accountability.
During the pandemic, CDC guidance often prioritized political considerations over science. Churches and small businesses were shut down, while liquor stores and Black Lives Matter protests were permitted. Children endured years of disrupted education, with masks and lockdowns imposed despite low health risks. Questioning official narratives on vaccines or lab origins frequently led to censorship.
Supporters say Kennedy is restoring credibility by challenging assumptions and refusing to treat science as “settled.” The backlash from former directors underscores how entrenched the agency’s leadership had become in defending policies widely seen as overreaching and politically biased.
Kennedy, once dismissed as a fringe figure, now finds growing support among Americans who feel betrayed by the CDC’s pandemic response and are eager to see systemic reform.
