The U.S. public health system is facing one of its most turbulent moments in recent memory, as a wave of resignations and sharp criticism have rocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On August 28, 2025, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) unleashed a blistering critique of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling for his immediate dismissal and accusing him of undermining the nation’s health infrastructure. The remarks, delivered during an appearance on MSNBC’s “All In” with Chris Hayes, have reverberated throughout the political and medical communities, raising urgent questions about the future of U.S. public health policy.
Senator Welch’s comments came amid a dramatic exodus of senior policy officials at the CDC, who resigned en masse in protest of the Trump administration’s decision to oust the agency’s director. The resignations, which Welch described as both “inspiring” and “alarming,” were in direct response to what many see as a fundamental assault on scientific integrity and public health leadership.
“Well, it’s horrifying,” Welch told MSNBC host Chris Hayes, summing up the mood among many health professionals and lawmakers. “I mean, there’s two things. One, very inspiring and the other very alarming. The inspiring part of this is the folks who resigned in solidarity with their director, who was standing up for science and for public health. The depressing part is that RFK is a lunatic. I mean, he is setting us back a century on public health. He basically does not believe that scientific basis for vaccines is valid.” (MSNBC, Raw Story)
This isn’t the first time Kennedy’s controversial views on vaccines have drawn fire. His skepticism regarding established vaccine science has long been a point of contention, but his appointment as Health Secretary by President Donald Trump marked a new chapter in the debate. Welch minced no words, describing Kennedy as someone “dismantling” the CDC and undermining decades of progress in disease prevention.
“You literally have somebody who has the confidence of a person with no knowledge, but with a family pedigree and a certainty that because he’s a Kennedy, he’s right, that is dismantling the CDC,” Welch said, expressing frustration over Kennedy’s perceived disregard for scientific consensus. (Raw Story)
Welch’s critique extended beyond Kennedy’s personal views. He accused Kennedy of betraying the trust of other lawmakers, specifically referencing Senator Bill Cassidy, a respected colleague and physician. According to Welch, Cassidy had sought assurances from Kennedy that he would maintain the existing vaccine review system and uphold scientific standards. Kennedy, Welch alleged, had given Cassidy the answers he wanted to hear, only to later “double cross” him by abandoning those commitments.
“He should be fired. He should resign and he never should have been appointed. And the fact is, by the way, he double crossed Senator Cassidy. You know, a lot of us didn’t believe it. We didn’t buy it but Senator Cassidy is a very respected colleague of Senator Murray and mine and all of us and a doctor. And he asked Kennedy on the vaccines, are you going to maintain the review system? Are you going to not set up a parallel system? Are you going to continue to respect science? And Kennedy gave him the answers that Cassidy was looking to hear. Cassidy believed him. But what you’re seeing with Secretary Kennedy right now is he’s totally and completely double crossing Senator Cassidy.” (MSNBC)
The mass resignation at the CDC has thrown the agency into turmoil at a time when public trust in health institutions is already fragile. Welch praised the leadership of those who stepped down, highlighting their commitment to science and public welfare. “It’s pretty inspiring to me that the folks at the CDC ... in top leadership positions are out there advocating for the benefit of the public health of all of us in this country. Whether you’re in a red state or a blue state, whether you voted for Trump or you voted for Harris, we have to have vaccines to protect us against diseases that could kill us if we don’t have them.” (Raw Story)
The political dimensions of the crisis are impossible to ignore. The Trump administration’s decision to remove the CDC director and install Kennedy—a figure whose views on vaccines and medicine have been widely criticized by the scientific community—has sparked outrage among Democrats and concern among some Republicans. Welch’s remarks reflect a broader anxiety about the politicization of public health, particularly when it comes to issues as critical as vaccination and disease prevention.
For many observers, the current standoff is emblematic of a deeper struggle over the role of science in policymaking. The CDC, long regarded as a bastion of evidence-based practice, now finds itself at the center of a political maelstrom. The resignations of its senior leaders signal not just a protest against a specific personnel decision, but a broader alarm over the direction of national health policy.
The stakes are high. Vaccines have been one of the most effective tools in the fight against infectious diseases, from polio to measles to COVID-19. The erosion of public confidence in vaccines—fueled in part by high-profile skeptics like Kennedy—could have devastating consequences for public health. Welch’s insistence on the necessity of vaccines, regardless of political affiliation, underscores the nonpartisan nature of the threat posed by preventable diseases.
Yet, as Welch acknowledged, there remains a sense of inspiration in the actions of those who have chosen to stand up for scientific integrity. Their resignations, while disruptive, serve as a powerful statement about the values at stake. In Welch’s words, they are “standing up for science and for public health,” even as the institutions they serve face unprecedented challenges.
As the dust settles, the future of the CDC and the broader public health apparatus hangs in the balance. Will the agency be able to recover from this crisis of leadership and restore public trust? Or will the current turmoil mark the beginning of a long-term decline in the nation’s ability to respond to health threats?
For now, one thing is clear: the debate over science, public health, and political leadership is far from over. The voices of those who have chosen to speak out—like Senator Welch and the resigning CDC officials—will continue to shape the conversation in the months and years ahead, as the country grapples with the consequences of decisions made at the highest levels of government.
