Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismisses two high-ranking officials from the Department of Health and Human Services
In a surprising move, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the departure of two top deputies at the Department of Health and Human Services - Heather Flick Melanson, the Chief of Staff, and Hannah Anderson, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. The changes were confirmed by a department spokesperson, without specific reasons detailed for the dismissals[1][2][4].
Melanson, a longtime Republican lawyer, previously held senior HHS positions during the Trump administration, including acting general counsel and senior adviser under former HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Anderson was a health expert at the America [redacted] (information incomplete) before her role as deputy chief of staff for policy[2][3].
In a statement, the department expressed gratitude for the outgoing aides' service and highlighted the administration’s focus on advancing its mission under new leadership[1][2]. Matt Buckham, Kennedy’s White House liaison, has been appointed as Acting Chief of Staff in the Immediate Office of the Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services. Buckham will continue to serve as Kennedy's White House liaison in his new role, and will oversee the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees across the agency[5].
Another person familiar with the decisions also confirmed the departures, stating that Kennedy "has every right to make personnel decisions." No information was given about potential replacements for Melanson and Anderson[1][2]. The lack of detailed reasoning suggests a strategic or organizational realignment rather than publicly disclosed performance or policy disputes.
The Department of Health and Human Services is continuing to advance its mission to Make America Healthy Again, despite the leadership change[6]. The statement did not provide any reasons for the personnel changes.
[1] ABC News [2] Politico [3] Washington Post [4] CNN [5] HHS Press Release [6] HHS Mission Statement
- The abrupt exit of Heather Flick Melanson and Hannah Anderson, both former top deputies at the Department of Health and Human Services, has raised questions in the realm of policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, due to the lack of detailed reasoning for their departures.
- As science and health-and-wellness are among the department's key areas of focus, the future leadership changes within the Department of Health and Human Services and their possible impacts on these matters are being closely watched by various stakeholders.
