Kentucky governor calls for firing of HHS Secretary RFK Jr.

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday, urging him to "immediately" remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health and human services.

Kentucky governor urges Trump to fire RFK Jr.

What they're saying:

Beshear, a Democrat, accused Kennedy of undermining public health through staffing reductions, funding cuts and inaccurate guidance.

"His failed leadership has led to a series of preventable foodborne illnesses, recalls, and spikes in infectious diseases that have negatively impacted the health of American families and led to unknown billions in preventable costs for our people and businesses," Beshear said in the letter. "Elections are good barometers of public opinion and the results of last Tuesday’s elections are clear: The American people want change from your Administration." 

Kennedy, commonly known as RFK Jr., was sworn in as HHS secretary on Feb. 13, 2025. The department oversees agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

"Secretary Kennedy’s tenure has made our nation less safe and it’s our people who are suffering the consequences of inconsistent and inaccurate public health guidance, funding cuts, and reduction of critical staff, including food inspectors," Beshear continued.  

The governor cited illnesses involving pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli and Cyclospora, along with recalls and investigations involving products ranging from infant formula and eye drops to produce and prepared foods. He described the scale and magnitude of the summer’s outbreaks as "unprecedented."

Beshear also criticized Kennedy’s statements about vaccines.

"As Secretary Kennedy spreads dangerous lies and misinformation about vaccines, our nation has seen a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases. The worst measles outbreak in decades continues to grow, now with over 4,000 cases. As vaccination rates decline, risk for whooping cough, most dangerous for infants and newborns, is on the rise. Tetanus has recently been at the highest levels in nearly two decades," he wrote. 

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On Thursday, CDC data showed 5,182 confirmed U.S. measles cases as of Nov. 5, with 43 new outbreaks reported in 2026. Separately, the agency said preliminary data showed fewer reported whooping cough cases this year than at the same point in 2025.

Kennedy has long questioned vaccine safety and promoted false claims about vaccines, while rejecting the "anti-vaccine" label and describing himself as "pro-safety." Kennedy has previously publicly supported measles vaccination while emphasizing parental choice.

"For these reasons and more, you should remove Secretary Kennedy and appoint someone who will strengthen—not weaken—our nation's vital public health infrastructure, resume and maintain proper food inspections, invest in the scientists and inspectors who protect the American public, and listen to the state and local health officials on the front lines of protecting our citizens," Beshear concluded, adding, "Kentucky families, and the rest of America, deserve to know their food is safe and our public health institutions are prepared to respond when an outbreak occurs. I hope you will act with the urgency this moment demands." 

The governor’s full letter can be read here.

The other side:

Asked about Beshear’s letter, a White House official pointed to Trump encouraging vaccinations in 2025 and discussing vaccinations at a Medicaid event.

"President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have both stated that vaccination is the best way to prevent measles infections," White House spokesperson Allison Schuster told the Kentucky Lantern.  "In response to outbreaks, the President and Secretary have repeatedly encouraged measles vaccination, coordinated with states, and facilitated the deployment of vaccine doses across the country."

Democratic senators probe RFK Jr.’s Samoa trip

Dig deeper:

Separately, Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., are investigating whether Kennedy misled Congress about his 2019 Samoa trip, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

In a letter sent Wednesday, they requested records from Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy previously chaired, concerning the trip, his presidential campaign and confirmation.

AP and Guardian reporting identified documents contradicting his testimony that the visit was unrelated to vaccines. HHS has denied that Kennedy lied to Congress and maintained that the trip was unrelated to vaccines.

The new inquiry is one of a vast array of investigations planned into the Trump administration after Democrats regained control of the House and Senate from Republicans in the midterm elections.

The Source: The information for this story was provided by Beshear’s Nov. 12 letter to Trump; CDC measles and pertussis surveillance data; HHS materials; reporting from The Associated Press, Kentucky Lantern and FactCheck.org. This story was reported from Los Angeles.