Washington D.C. Health Secretary RFK Jr. Absent Amid Ebola Concerns

On June 8, 2026, The Feds reported that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been largely absent from his own office. This absence coincides with a spike in global alerts about a potential Ebola outbreak, heightening concerns about the nation's preparedness.

According to a comprehensive New York Times investigation, Kennedy’s work routine contradicts the expectations for a senior federal official. He reportedly arrives at the National HHS office after a morning workout, typically around 10 a.m., and leaves at 4 p.m., a schedule that misses much of the regular thirty‑minute briefing that all HHS division chiefs must attend. He has been said to show up only once a month to the weekly Tuesday meetings that bring together the heads of the department’s thirteen divisions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. Even when present, staffers have described him as “checked out,” scrolling on his phone instead of attending to the discussions.

In early 2025, his inaction was criticized after two children died of measles in Texas. Demetre Daskalakis, the head of HHS’s response team, was denied a meeting by Kennedy, leading to Daskalakis’s departure from the agency. Kennedy’s public statements also reflected troubling misinformation, recommending increased vitamin intake for measles patients instead of advocating the proven benefits of vaccination.

State‑wide under the Trump administration, the Department has struggled with staffing shortages. The position of Surgeon General remains vacant after three nominations, and half of the twenty‑seven institutes at the National Institutes of Health are led by acting directors. Attempts to fill these gaps have stalled: CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired a decade ago after she refused to approve a “wildly” untested vaccination schedule. CIld. Jay Bhattacharya, now leading the NIH, was tasked with managing the national briefings that have seen inconsistent leadership under Kennedy.

Contrary to the criticism, RFK Jr. defended his record in a statement on X, labeling the NY Times piece “unfair, inimical, and inaccurate.” He cited his public calendar and a “list of accomplishments” that he claimed illustrate a purposeful work ethic. Critics counter that his account overlooks the numerous departures of key staff, the organization’s slow response to emerging threats, and his denial of the importance of frontline public health measures.

Health experts are especially alarmed by the tension between Kennedy’s public messaging and the scientific consensus. As experts continue to urge rapid vaccination and an international response to early Ebola signals, the apparent neglect of his leadership responsibilities threatens to undermine national readiness.

Given the gravity of the issue, stakeholders across the public health landscape urge the administration to urgently re-evaluate leadership roles and ensure that HHS leadership aligns with expected standards of public service and crisis management.