RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Stance Faces Backlash as Trump Aligns with Pro-Science Policies

On May 22, 2025, President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared together at the White House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s political standing has suffered a series of high-profile setbacks in recent weeks, testing the resilience of his anti-vaccine advocacy within the Trump administration. The once-dominant figure behind the Make America Healthier Again (MAHA) movement has seen his allies sidelined and his policy priorities overridden by decisions favoring pro-vaccine and pro-science stances.

The most recent blow came when Trump appointed a vaccine-supporting candidate to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last month. Kennedy, who had previously wielded significant influence over health policy, was compelled to accept the decision despite his long-standing opposition to vaccines.

A few weeks later, the administration withdrew the nomination of Casey Means—a fellow MAHA advocate—to serve as Surgeon General. Kennedy’s hopes for a like-minded ally in the role were dashed when Trump instead selected a replacement who not only supports vaccination but has also publicly criticized Kennedy’s efforts to roll back childhood vaccine requirements. Kennedy responded with a statement of reluctant support, saying he “looked forward to partnering with her.”

These reversals followed Trump’s executive order in support of glyphosate production, a controversial herbicide Kennedy has spent years condemning as a carcinogen. The order, which prioritized agricultural interests, sparked outrage among MAHA supporters. Kennedy, however, framed it as a pragmatic concession, stating that the decision was necessary to support farmers who rely on the herbicide.

Trump’s Team Sidelines Kennedy’s Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric

Behind the scenes, Trump’s advisers have grown increasingly vocal about Kennedy’s vaccine rhetoric, warning in both private discussions and public polling memos that his stance is alienating key voter demographics. Advisers have urged Kennedy to shift his focus to healthier eating initiatives, a message that has proven more popular among the electorate.

Trump’s team has also tightened control over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), elevating trusted deputy Chris Klomp to the role of chief counselor. Klomp’s appointment coincided with the departure of vocal vaccine skeptics from the agency, including a Louisiana doctor who had served as deputy director at the CDC. The doctor had infamously described the potential loss of measles elimination status in the U.S. as the “cost of doing business.”

The latest high-profile departure occurred on Tuesday, when embattled FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned. Makary, who had been a key ally of Kennedy’s on certain issues, had become entangled in multiple controversies during his tenure.

Will Kennedy Be the Next Trump Ally to Exit?

In Trump’s Washington, public humiliations often precede the departure of cabinet members—whether voluntary or otherwise. Kennedy’s diminishing influence raises questions about his future within the administration. Could he soon join the ranks of former Trump officials like Pam Bondi, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Kristi Noem?

Despite these setbacks, Kennedy remains in his role at HHS, and his partnership with Trump may yet endure. While their political priorities increasingly clash, both men share a deep-seated skepticism of scientific and political elites—a core tenet of the MAGA and MAHA movements.

Two recent developments underscore the alignment between Trump and Kennedy’s shared grievances against science and the establishment:

• The appointment of pro-vaccine leaders to key health roles.
• Trump’s executive order in support of glyphosate, despite Kennedy’s opposition.