Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he stands “firmly behind” President Donald Trump, pushing back against Democratic senators who have called on him to resign or be fired.
In a post on X, Kennedy pointed to what he described as a record of reform at HHS, including a rewrite of federal dietary guidelines, commitments from major food companies to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes, and new reviews of chemicals already present in the food supply.
“I stand firmly behind President Trump and the historic reforms we are advancing together,” Kennedy wrote. “In less than two years, this administration has rewritten federal dietary guidelines to emphasize real food, secured commitments from major food companies to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes and other additives, launched systematic reviews of chemicals already in our food supply, and proposed requiring companies to notify the FDA before introducing ingredients they independently deem safe.”
Kennedy said those steps represent just part of what he called hundreds of accomplishments, while acknowledging “there’s still more work to do.”
“We must finish food-ingredient reform, advance our work on ultra-processed foods, and put children’s health at the center of federal policy,” Kennedy said. “I will keep pressing those priorities across this administration and work with anyone in either party who will help deliver them.”
He also framed the broader effort in populist terms, writing: “Draining the swamp is a mandate, and we have an obligation to deliver. Entrenched interests have exercised power in Washington under both parties for decades. President Trump and I intend to keep fighting until the American people—not corporate influence—drive our health policies.”
The statement comes as Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland have publicly called for Kennedy to step down.
“The time is now,” Alsobrooks wrote on X. “RFK Jr. must resign or be fired. End of discussion.”
“Unless RFK Jr. is interested in spending the next two years in front of Congressional committees, he should go ahead and resign now,” Warnock wrote.
A Pattern of Industry Pressure
Kennedy’s push on food policy has been underway for months. In August, he announced HHS was proposing a rule requiring manufacturers to notify the FDA when they determine that a substance added to human or animal food is “Generally Recognized as Safe,” a category that currently allows companies to make that determination without federal notification.
Food companies including General Mills, Hershey, and Nestlé have since announced plans to phase out artificial dyes and flavors over the next several years. Nestlé officially removed FD&C colors from its products as of June 2026, a year after first pledging to do so. Kennedy had pressed the CEOs of Smucker’s, General Mills, and Kellogg’s as early as March 2025 to eliminate artificial dyes from their products.
Kennedy’s statement signals that, despite mounting Democratic pressure, he intends to remain at HHS and continue pursuing the administration’s food and chemical policy agenda.
