Former surgeons general rip Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in rare warning: ‘Immediate and unprecedented threat’

Former U.S. surgeons general are sounding the alarm on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a first-of-its-kind warning.

In an op-ed for The Washington Post, released Tuesday, the ex-health officials, appointed by Republican and Democratic presidents since George H.W. Bush, said they are “compelled to speak with one voice” against the actions of Kennedy, which they claim are “endangering the health of the nation.”

“Never before have we issued a joint public warning like this,” they wrote in the op-ed. “But the profound, immediate and unprecedented threat that Kennedy’s policies and positions pose to the nation’s health cannot be ignored.”

The health experts — including Jerome Adams, who was nominated by President Donald Trump during his first term — argue that the nation’s public health system has been undermined, with misinformation winning over science and expertise.

“Morale has plummeted in our health agencies, and talent is fleeing at a time when we face rising threats — from resurgent infectious diseases to worsening chronic illnesses,” they wrote, adding: “Repairing this damage requires a leader who respects scientific integrity and transparency, listens to experts and can restore trust to the federal health apparatus. Instead, Kennedy has become a driving force behind this crisis.”

The former surgeons general pointed to Kennedy’s advancement of “dangerous and discredited claims” about vaccines, such as what they describe as his misrepresentation and promotion of the risks of mRNA technology and COVID shots. They also noted the United States has recorded its worst measles outbreak in more than 30 years — while Kennedy has been pictured alongside anti-vaccine doctors — and his firing and replacement of every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which offers recommendations on vaccines for children and adults.

“Discrediting vaccines undermines one of the most important public health tools in American history,” the group wrote.

Their warning comes as Kennedy has significantly rocked the country’s health department since his appointment to the role, from changing vaccine guidance to cutting research funding. They are also joining a growing number of individuals in the health field who have publicly called out Kennedy’s policies, including some who have called for his resignation.

Meanwhile, according to Axios, allies of the Trump administration believe Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, as well as his recent guidance based on limited evidence linking Tylenol to increased autism in children, will both be big factors in helping Republicans win over voters during the 2026 midterm elections.

“Despite differences in perspectives, we have always been united in an unwavering commitment to science and evidence-based public health,” the former officials wrote. “It is that shared principle that led us to this moment.”