Internal emails from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded direct authority over vaccine recommendations and forced the resignation of CDC Director Mandy Cohen after she resisted his attempts to control agency decisions. The communications show Kennedy halted flu vaccination campaigns during peak season and replaced an entire federal vaccine advisory committee with his own appointees.
Vaccination Campaigns Shut Down Mid-Season
In mid-February 2025, during what officials described as the worst flu season in years, HHS communications chief Andrew Nixon ordered CDC staff to immediately halt all advertising campaigns promoting flu shots. CDC communications official Nicole Coffin informed colleagues the directive came directly from Kennedy, who wanted messaging shifted toward “informed consent” rather than encouraging vaccinations. Internal emails warned the decision created “significant reputational risk” and potential legal problems with existing contracts.
CDC officials scrambled to understand which campaigns required cancellation. Kennedy’s team eventually allowed one campaign called “Get My Flu Shot” to continue while forcing the agency to pause another pro-vaccination effort known as “Wild to Mild.” The abrupt policy reversal concerned CDC staff who worried about public health consequences during active flu transmission.
Complete Advisory Committee Replacement
Kennedy moved to replace all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the influential panel whose vaccine recommendations determine federal insurance coverage requirements. Internal meeting notes show Kennedy’s team believed Biden administration officials deliberately filled committee vacancies before leaving office to block the incoming secretary’s agenda. One aide summarized Kennedy’s position: “He doesn’t care which members” get removed, noting the secretary already had “a bench of 10 ready to replace” existing appointees.
A draft memo acknowledged the goal was to “depoliticize” the committee by installing members aligned with Kennedy’s views. The secretary ultimately removed all committee members, writing in The Wall Street Journal that “a clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.” Critics noted the irony of claiming to depoliticize a panel by replacing scientists with political appointees.
Demands For Pre-Approval Authority
Kennedy escalated pressure on CDC leadership throughout August, with a senior HHS aide emphasizing the “absolute need for political review of major policy decisions at CDC.” The email instructed then-Director Cohen to ensure Kennedy’s advisers reviewed any significant policy changes before implementation. Cohen later revealed Kennedy demanded she “preapprove” any vaccine committee recommendations and pressured her to resign when she refused. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders characterized the emails as evidence Kennedy “prioritized politics over public health, ignored expert guidance, and endangered people, particularly children.”