According to recent reports, the White House has grown frustrated with the “mess” of communications from RFK Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services.
As reported by Axios, Trump administration officials, Kennedy loyalist Stefanie Spear—his current deputy chief of staff and former presidential campaign press secretary—is being held accountable for the department’s delayed and confused communications. According to the outlet, the White House has been worried enough to intervene and manage media enquiries for the department.
Critics said that the problem began in January, when Spear put an end to all HHS external interactions. As a result, the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report was not distributed for the first time in decades.
On February 26, two days after a kid in West Texas died as a result of a measles outbreak, RFK Jr. addressed the subject in an X post. A more official statement followed two days later, the day before Kennedy returned to social media to celebrate a hike in the Coachella Valley.
My heart goes out to the families impacted by the current measles outbreak in TX. I recognize the serious impact of this outbreak on families, children, and healthcare workers.
Here at @HHSGov we have:
• Supported Texas Department of Health through technical assistance and…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) February 28, 2025
“The White House was like, ‘Where the f— is the statement?‘” a White House official involved in the response to the measles outbreak commented. “CNN was blaring this chyron about how Kennedy was silent, and there was just nothing from the department because of Stefanie,” he said to Axios.
Trump administration officials also informed that the situation is so severe that a different, parallel press team is working alongside Spear’s team to improve media output and interactions with reporters. “This shouldn’t be the White House’s job, but here we are,” a White House adviser remarked.
They also stated that the White House handled the response to the news that the country’s top vaccination official abruptly resigned late Friday, releasing a harsh resignation letter directed at Kennedy. The adviser claimed Spear was unavailable when the news surfaced, forcing the White House to allow the HHS statement.
Prior to that, the White House rejected a Spear authority not to speak with the media over leaked news that the CDC planned to explore a link between vaccines and autism—a long-time RFK Jr. lightning rod, as per the report.
THE CIA EXPOSED: Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. exposes the CIA for crimes committed on U.S. soil against millions of Americans involving Bioweapons, Experiments, Operation Paperclip, MK Ultra mind control, Anthrax attack on U.S. Capitol and the Milgram experiment.… pic.twitter.com/esfGCysySx
— Truth Justice ™ (@SpartaJustice) July 27, 2023
According to the report, Operation Stork Speed, a Kennedy-approved directive aimed at making infant food healthier, received minimal press coverage because the agency did not communicate with the media adequately, which irritated the White House.
The department has also allegedly had to contend with friction between Trump administration officials and career HHS employees, who are generally more liberal. “It’s a mess over there,” another White House aide stated. “The [career employees] hate us and are always undermining us and leaking stuff to the media. And then there’s this small circle of trust with Stefanie that hasn’t expanded.”
Spear, the White House and HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
