Key facts
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged withholding information from select journalists.
- Kennedy Jr. stated the withholding of information is a response to journalists' "predictable bias."
- Reports indicate unfulfilled Freedom of Information Act requests from the agency.
- Concerns persist among health department employees about political ideology influencing scientific decisions.
- Some health department employees report an improved work environment.
- A softened tone has been adopted by Kennedy Jr. and his deputies.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has acknowledged that the department is withholding information from certain journalists. He characterized this action as a response to their "predictable bias." This admission comes amidst reports detailing unfulfilled Freedom of Information Act requests and a broader lack of transparency from the agency. Despite these developments, many employees within the health department remain skeptical regarding the potential for political ideology to influence scientific decision-making. While some staffers have noted an improvement in the work environment following a softened tone from Kennedy Jr. and his deputies, underlying concerns about the agency's operations persist.