RFK Jr defends downsizing health department as part of President Donald Trump’s new budget plan. The Health and Human Services Secretary described the cuts as necessary to reduce spending and restore departmental efficiency.
Appearing before the House appropriations committee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr supported the administration’s proposed $18 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health. Another $3.6 billion would be slashed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kennedy said the changes would save taxpayers $1.8 billion each year. He argued that the department must return to its pre-pandemic staffing levels. “Our reductions have focused on aligning HHS staffing levels to reflect the size of HHS prior to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
The pandemic increased the agency’s workforce by about 15%. Kennedy believes those numbers are no longer necessary and that the department must now scale down to remain effective.
Lawmakers questioned Kennedy on Elon Musk’s reported role in reviewing the department. Musk has previously advised several federal agencies on restructuring and fraud detection.
Kennedy acknowledged Musk’s assistance but emphasized his own leadership. “Ultimately, we executed the decisions,” he told the committee. “Elon Musk gave us help in figuring out where there was fraud and abuse. But it was up to me to make the decision, and there are many instances where I pushed back.”
Critics argue the budget could undermine public health infrastructure and limit pandemic preparedness. But Kennedy insisted that the reductions are part of a broader plan to root out inefficiencies.
The Trump administration has made government downsizing a major policy focus in its second term. This move follows similar efforts across other departments, including the Department of Education and Environmental Protection Agency.
Supporters say the budget trims unnecessary bureaucracy. Opponents worry they will weaken essential services, particularly in science, research, and disease prevention.
Kennedy defended the restructuring as overdue and data-driven. “These are not random cuts,” he said. “We are targeting outdated programs and redundant roles.”
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