A former aide to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly crashed her car into his shortly after being abruptly fired. Hannah Anderson, who had served briefly as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, was let go in June alongside Chief of Staff Heather Flick Melanson as part of a broader shakeup within HHS.
The department has been undergoing a realignment under Secretary Kennedy to better match President Trump’s policy agenda, according to The Daily Beast.
Following her dismissal, Anderson was described as distraught and accidentally backed her vehicle into Kennedy’s, The Wall Street Journal reported. The minor incident was cited in a broader profile detailing growing internal turmoil within the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Although Prasad was reinstated following intervention from Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, the agency has continued to see high-profile exits. CDC Director Susan Monarez resigned after less than a month on the job, reportedly due to disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine policy.
The White House later confirmed her departure, saying Monarez was “not aligned with the president’s agenda.” Her exit came amid growing speculation that the Trump administration may soon move to withdraw COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
The profile also noted the departure of Dr. Vinay Prasad, the FDA’s top vaccine official, who was ousted in July after a campaign led by investigative journalist Laura Loomer. Prasad had previously halted shipments of a controversial drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, leading to friction with biotech firm Sarepta Therapeutics.
