Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has firmly denied mounting speculation about a possible presidential run in 2028, pledging his unwavering loyalty to President Donald Trump and focusing instead on his current mission to overhaul public health in the United States. The announcement, made on August 15, 2025, through a post on the social media platform X, comes amid swirling rumors and pointed criticism from right-wing commentator Laura Loomer and persistent chatter fueled by Kennedy’s own Super PAC.
“Let me be clear: I am not running for president in 2028. My loyalty is to President Trump and the mission we’ve started,” Kennedy declared in his social media post, according to reporting by Nexstar Media. He went on to add, “The president has made himself the answer to my 20-year prayer that God would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic — and that’s exactly what my team and I will do until the day he leaves office.”
The speculation about Kennedy’s political ambitions has been stoked by a combination of moves from his Super PAC and pointed attacks from Loomer, who has made a name for herself by targeting administration officials she perceives as insufficiently loyal to Trump. Loomer’s latest focus has been Stefanie Spear, Kennedy’s top aide, whom she accused of helping lay the groundwork for a Kennedy 2028 campaign. Spear, like Kennedy, was previously aligned with environmentally focused Democratic causes before joining Trump’s coalition in 2024. She also served as Kennedy’s press secretary during his failed 2024 presidential campaign and worked with him at Children’s Health Defense, Kennedy’s anti-vaccine group.
Kennedy has been quick to defend Spear, pushing back against Loomer’s accusations and emphasizing the unity of his team. According to The Hill, MAGA loyalists have remained suspicious of Spear’s influence ever since Kennedy was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Adding to the chorus of denials, Tony Lyons, leader of the Kennedy-supporting Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) PAC, told The Hill, “The story that Secretary Kennedy was running for president was a made up story. There’s no truth to it whatsoever.” Lyons explained that Kennedy never gave any indication of planning another presidential campaign, insisting, “He prayed for 20 years to have the opportunity that President Trump has given him. He is disrupting an entrenched and deeply corrupt system that has allowed a small group of companies to make incredible profits from products that make Americans sick. Those companies are spending millions to attack Secretary Kennedy and his incredible team to protect their ill-gotten gains.”
According to Axios, Kennedy called the rumors of a 2028 presidential bid a “flat-out lie” and criticized Washington lobbyists for trying to drive a wedge between him and Trump. Kennedy’s public statement on X made clear his intention to continue working with his current team until the end of Trump’s presidency, focusing on combating the chronic disease epidemic and eliminating hazardous chemicals from the environment and food supply — key tenets of his MAHA agenda.
Kennedy’s journey to this high-profile role has been anything but conventional. He launched a 2024 presidential bid as a Democrat, only to later declare himself an independent candidate. His campaign was marked by a focus on fighting chronic illnesses and advocating for environmental health. Ultimately, Kennedy dropped out of the race on August 23, 2024, and endorsed Donald Trump, who subsequently appointed him to lead HHS in November 2024.
Since taking the helm at HHS, Kennedy has wasted little time in making waves. One of his first major moves was reviving the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, a body that had been dormant for nearly three decades. This task force, now led by Jay Bhattacharya of the National Institutes of Health, is tasked with developing and refining immunization guidelines for children nationwide, with an eye toward minimizing adverse reactions and improving safety. Kennedy has emphasized his commitment to “rigorous science and continuous improvement in vaccine development,” stating that the task force will work closely with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines to ensure safer outcomes.
However, Kennedy’s tenure has not been without controversy. His decision to cancel 22 mRNA vaccine contracts worth $500 million under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has drawn sharp criticism. Critics argue that this move could delay the development of life-saving vaccines and increase the risk of infectious diseases. According to USA Today, Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance has rattled the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors, with shares in companies like Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax falling 4–5% following his announcement. The broader SPDR S&P Biotech ETF dropped nearly 3% in early U.S. trading, and Europe’s healthcare sector was also under pressure, down 2.2% at its lowest point since April.
Despite the market turbulence and criticism from public health advocates, Kennedy has doubled down on his approach. In an interview with NBC, he clarified that he would not “take away” available vaccines but suggested that the overall prospects for biotech development ventures might be dimmed under his watch. Still, Kennedy maintains that his goal is not to undermine vaccine access but to ensure that vaccines are as safe as possible, with fewer and less serious adverse reactions.
The political drama surrounding Kennedy’s position has been heightened by Loomer’s persistent attacks, which have succeeded in ousting several administration officials in the past. Her campaign against Spear and Kennedy has been seen by some as an attempt to sow discord within the Trump administration and among MAHA supporters. Kennedy’s public defense of Spear and his repeated pledges of loyalty to Trump are widely viewed as efforts to quell these internal divisions and keep the administration focused on its stated health goals.
For Kennedy, the current moment is the culmination of a long-held aspiration. As he put it in his statement, “The president has made himself the answer to my 20-year prayer that God would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic.” He has vowed to continue this work — and only this work — for as long as Trump remains in office.
With Kennedy’s emphatic disavowal of presidential ambitions for 2028 and his clear commitment to Trump’s agenda, the focus now shifts to the impact his policies will have on public health and the pharmaceutical industry. The coming years are likely to bring further debate, scrutiny, and, no doubt, more controversy as Kennedy attempts to reshape America’s approach to chronic disease and vaccine safety from one of the most powerful health posts in the country.