Sanders Demands RFK Jr.’s Resignation Amid CDC Leadership Crisis

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has intensified pressure on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., demanding his resignation following a tumultuous week at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that saw the agency director ousted and several top officials depart.

In a scathing op-ed published Saturday morning, Sanders, the ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, accused Secretary Kennedy of a “crusade against vaccines” and promoting “conspiracy theories,” asserting that Kennedy’s leadership is undermining public health and making Americans less safe.

The controversy erupted after CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired on Wednesday, prompting four other senior officials to resign the same day, citing concerns about the administration’s alleged weaponization of public health. The White House and Secretary Kennedy have defended Monarez’s termination, with the Press Secretary stating on Thursday that the President has the “authority to fire those who are not aligned with his mission” and emphasizing a commitment to restoring trust and transparency at the CDC.

Sanders called for a bipartisan investigation into Monarez’s ouster, labeling the decision “reckless” and “dangerous.” He further criticized Kennedy for profiting from vaccine mistrust and warned that under his tenure, it would become harder for Americans to access “lifesaving vaccines,” potentially leading to the resurgence of diseases that have been virtually eradicated. The Vermont senator also referenced HHS’s decision to end $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development as evidence of Kennedy’s detrimental policies.

The Trump administration has since appointed Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O’Neill as the acting director of the CDC, effective Thursday, as the public health community grapples with the fallout from the leadership shake-up and the ongoing debate over vaccine policy.

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