RFK Jr hits 'new low' with Trump's inner circle as they attempt to muzzle him: WSJ

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s penchant for going rogue of health policy has forced Trump insiders to install new oversight controls, as mounting scandals and unpopular vaccine positions threaten to become a political liability for Republicans heading into midterms.

Despite Trump's public praise for the controversial HHS Secretary, White House officials—some who never supported Kennedy's prominent role—are increasingly alarmed that his erratic leadership and policy blunders will damage GOP candidates in November, with the Wall Street Journal reporting the Cabinet member's "standing among some staff is at a new low.'

According to the report, Trump aides have taken direct control over Kennedy's department after polling revealed his vaccine skepticism and other health initiatives are deeply unpopular. Although Trump initially promised Kennedy he could "go wild on health," administration officials have grown increasingly frustrated with what they view as a series of catastrophic missteps.

Kennedy's standing among HHS staff has collapsed following multiple setbacks to his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. Yet he remains in Trump's favor personally, according to those familiar with their relationship.

The litany of failures forced the White House to overhaul HHS leadership. Kennedy drew criticism for his tepid initial response to the measles outbreak in Texas. FDA officials shocked the department by unexpectedly approving a generic abortion pill. In January, the White House was blindsided by Kennedy's controversial grant cuts to mental health and substance abuse programs—cuts the department was forced to reverse after Capitol Hill outcry. The FDA has become a continuing source of chaos under Kennedy's stewardship.

Desperate to restore order, the White House hired Brad Smith, a DOGE operative, to audit HHS operations and determine what was failing. Smith's recommendations included a series of structural changes designed to end internal warfare and improve departmental functioning.

The intervention signals that Trump officials have lost confidence in Kennedy's ability to manage one of the government's largest agencies—even as the president maintains his public loyalty to the controversial Cabinet member.

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