White House Backs RFK Jr.'s Reform Drive

U.S. Vice President JD Vance offered his full-throated support for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the "Make America Healthy Again" summit held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington on the 11th (local time).

In a conversation with Secretary Kennedy, Vice President Vance defended Kennedy's approach to challenging conventional scientific wisdom, stating, "Looking back at history, there have been many cases where all the experts were wrong." He emphasized that "what matters most is the government's willingness to ask questions that haven't been asked for a long time."

Large-Scale Organizational Overhaul and Policy Shifts

Secretary Kennedy has implemented sweeping structural changes at HHS and its affiliated agencies this year. He has pursued bold initiatives including firing thousands of employees, disbanding scientific advisory panels, and conducting a comprehensive review of vaccination guidelines.

The summit was livestreamed but closed to the press. Vice President Vance characterized Secretary Kennedy's MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement as "a key part of our success in Washington."

White House Guarantees 'Autonomy' Despite Controversy

Secretary Kennedy is a well-known vaccine skeptic whose radical approach to public health agencies has drawn mixed reactions from Congress and public opinion. However, the White House has granted him considerable autonomy throughout the year.

The Donald Trump administration has maintained a hands-off stance, allowing Kennedy's reform drive to proceed unimpeded. Vice President Vance's remarks are interpreted as a signal that the White House is strategically backing Kennedy's transformation of health policy.

New Direction for Health Policy

Secretary Kennedy has maintained his position of listening to "non-traditional voices" rather than conventional medical community perspectives. While this has raised concerns among public health experts, the administration counters with the argument that a fundamental reassessment of existing systems is necessary.

Vice President Vance stated, "Among the specific initiatives your team has effectively pursued, the most important is the willingness to ask questions." This remark is interpreted as signaling a comprehensive reevaluation of the existing health policy paradigm.