Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been largely disengaged from running the Department of Health and Human Services, The New York Times reported. Despite leading one of the federal government’s largest departments, Kennedy has delegated substantial day-to-day authority to subordinates.
The report described a leadership style in which the HHS secretary spends limited time on departmental operations and policy implementation. Senior career officials and political appointees have filled the management vacuum.
HHS oversees Medicare, Medicaid, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other agencies. The department’s broad portfolio affects health policy for hundreds of millions of Americans.
Kennedy’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Times account. The article raised questions about executive oversight of critical health programs during his tenure.
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Sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/11/headlines