By Eniola Amadu
Former US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has urged President Donald Trump to dismiss Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, warning that his vaccine policies are “endangering America” and undermining public health.
In an interview with CNN on Saturday, Adams, who served as surgeon general under Trump from 2017 to 2021, said Kennedy’s restrictions on access to Covid-19 vaccines threatened lives and placed minority communities at particular risk.
When asked directly if Trump should remove his health secretary, Adams replied: “I absolutely believe that he should, for the sake of the nation.”
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Kennedy, a longtime vaccine sceptic, has faced mounting criticism since taking office in Trump’s second administration.
Democrats have demanded his resignation following his combative testimony at a Senate hearing last week, while some Republicans have also expressed concern.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who supported Kennedy’s confirmation, accused him of “effectively denying people the vaccine.” Kennedy pushed back, saying: “You’re wrong.”
Adams’ remarks came after he co-authored a bipartisan USA Today op-ed with two other former surgeons general — Jocelyn Elders and Richard Carmona — warning that Kennedy’s overhaul of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) jeopardised both its credibility and the health of millions of Americans.
They described the turmoil inside the CDC as a “matter of life and death.”
The CDC has been in crisis since late August, when Kennedy dismissed director Susan Monarez just weeks into her tenure, sparking mass resignations among senior leaders.
Earlier in June, he had also removed all 17 members of the CDC’s immunisation advisory committee, replacing some with individuals who hold anti-vaccine views.
Adams said Kennedy’s actions had eroded trust in the CDC among leading medical organisations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.
According to him, “He’s putting us at risk,” warning that Kennedy could “destroy the CDC” if left unchecked.
Adams also condemned new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restrictions narrowing eligibility for the updated Covid vaccine, describing them as misguided and dangerous.
He argued that Kennedy’s policies would hit hardest among Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities, which suffered disproportionately high death rates during the pandemic.
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Although Adams occasionally clashed with Trump during his first term, he urged the president to act decisively this time.
“I hope President Trump will begin to see the danger to America,” Adams said, warning that remaining “in thrall” to Kennedy’s leadership could have devastating consequences.
