John Oliver on Sunday night called for the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., denouncing his leadership as a “disaster” that will cost lives.
On HBO’s Last Week Tonight, Oliver echoed growing alarm from public health experts, citing an April 9 statement by Dr. Georges C. Benjamin of the American Public Health Association, who warned of devastating consequences from Kennedy’s budget cuts and policy changes.
THE DETAILS: Oliver tore into Kennedy for gutting HHS and for his cruel, baseless comments about autistic people, quoting Kennedy’s claim that autistic children “will never pay taxes” or “use a toilet unassisted.” Oliver’s response: “F— you.”
- Oliver emphasized that while HHS has had flaws, Kennedy’s “slash and burn” approach is catastrophic.
He noted his staff contacted numerous doctors and scientists they had worked with over the years: “They’ve been utterly shattered by the last few months.”
- Health professionals initially gave Kennedy the benefit of the doubt post-election but now call his tenure a “disaster,” warning that “people will die” due to his reckless actions.
THE BACKGROUND: Kennedy, a known conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer, was controversially appointed by Trump-allied forces despite widespread opposition from public health advocates.
- Since taking over HHS, Kennedy has pushed discredited ideas, gutted programs critical to underserved communities, and slashed funding needed for disease prevention.
His appointment fits a broader pattern of MAGA extremists dismantling government agencies they once vilified, leaving everyday Americans to bear the consequences.
WHY IT MATTERS: Public health is not a partisan issue — it’s a matter of life and death. With Kennedy at the helm, experts warn, America’s health infrastructure is being hollowed out just when it’s needed most.