A top spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) quit this week over a reported clash with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
According to POLITICO, Thomas Corry announced on Monday that he has resigned “effective immediately” two weeks after joining the department as its assistant secretary for public affairs.
“I want to announce to my friends and colleagues that last Friday I announced my resignation effective immediately,” he wrote in a post on his LinkedIn page. “To my colleagues at HHS, I wish you the best and great success.”
Two people familiar with the matter told the outlet that there were clashes between Kennedy and some aides over their management of the agency amid a growing measles outbreak (via POLITICO):
The sudden departure was prompted by growing disagreement with Kennedy and his principal deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, over their management of the health department, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Corry had also grown uneasy with Kennedy’s muted response to the intensifying outbreak of measles in Texas, the people said. The outbreak has infected at least 146 people and resulted in the nation’s first death from the disease in a decade.
Reportedly, Corry served in Trump’s previous administration as senior adviser and communications director at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
This week, Kennedy penned an op-ed on the measles outbreak for Fox News.
“The current Texas outbreak has predominantly affected children, with 116 of the 146 cases occurring in individuals under 18 years of age. The DSHS reports that 79 of the confirmed cases involved individuals who had not received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while 62 cases had unknown vaccine status. At least five had received an MMR vaccine,” he wrote.
“Parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children’s health. All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” he added.
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