Who Is the Current US Health Secretary
The current United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was confirmed by the Senate in early 2025 and sworn into the Cabinet role overseeing HHS. He leads the federal agency responsible for public health, healthcare policy, Medicare, Medicaid, and the regulation of food and drugs in the United States.
Kennedy previously led the Department of Health and Human Services after a contentious confirmation process that highlighted major policy disagreements over vaccines, public health mandates, and the scope of federal health programs. His appointment signals a shift in HHS priorities toward deregulation, personal health choice, and a restructuring of federal health agencies.
Key Responsibilities and Recent Actions
As HHS Secretary, Kennedy oversees a vast budget and a large bureaucracy that includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. His recent actions have focused on reviewing existing federal health regulations, proposing changes to vaccine policies, and restructuring agency leadership to align with an agenda emphasizing personal responsibility and reduced federal intervention in healthcare.
The Secretary directs national health initiatives, manages billions in federal health spending, and coordinates with other Cabinet members on public health emergencies and healthcare workforce issues. Recent executive orders have tasked HHS with reviewing the impact of previous public health mandates, with Kennedy playing a central role in shaping the administration's health policy agenda.
Background and Policy Priorities
Kennedy brings a background in environmental law and anti-toxin advocacy to the role, and his policy priorities include overhauling federal dietary guidelines, reforming the food and drug approval process, and reducing the influence of pharmaceutical companies on public health policy. He has long advocated for changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and has criticized certain aspects of the childhood vaccine schedule.
The HHS Secretary position is one of the most powerful in the federal government, controlling agencies that affect every American's access to healthcare and food safety. Kennedy's leadership has already influenced ongoing debates about federal health funding, the future of Medicare and Medicaid, and the regulatory posture of agencies like the FDA and CDC. For more background on his nomination and early policy moves, see the coverage by Forbes and the official HHS website.
HHS Organizational Structure
Key Agencies Under the Secretary
Major Operating Divisions
Centers and Offices
For a detailed overview of the HHS budget and organizational chart, visit the official HHS website.