In a bold move to accelerate President Trump's healthcare priorities, the White House is engineering a major shakeup of top leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The administration is seeking to exert tighter control over the department's operations and communications, installing a cadre of new senior-level officials to manage the department's day-to-day functions.
Elevating 'Battle-Tested' Leaders
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the changes on February 12th, describing them as an effort to "elevate battle-tested, principled leaders" onto his immediate team. What this really means is the White House is positioning its own trusted allies to more directly oversee the implementation of the President's healthcare agenda and the broader "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiative.
Klomp as Chief Counselor, Brooks and Graham at FDA/CMS
At the center of the shakeup is the elevation of Chris Klomp, currently the administration's Medicare head and a senior advisor at HHS, who will now serve as the department's chief counselor and de facto chief of staff. Additionally, John Brooks of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and FDA officials Grace Graham and Kyle Diamantas will take on senior counselor roles focused on their respective agencies.
The bigger picture here is the White House is seeking to exert more direct control over key parts of the healthcare bureaucracy, CNN reports. This comes as the administration gears up for a major midterm push centered around its healthcare policies, including the controversial "most favored nation" drug pricing deals that Klomp has championed.
Accelerating the 'MAHA' Agenda
In announcing the changes, Secretary Kennedy said the new team would help "move faster and go further" in realizing President Trump's vision for healthcare. Given the administration's track record of withdrawing from the World Health Organization and terminating US membership, the White House is clearly doubling down on a unilateral, America-first approach to healthcare policy.
While the administration touts these changes as a way to "accelerate" its agenda, the reality is they represent a concerning concentration of power that could marginalize career experts and undermine the independence of critical public health agencies. As the midterms approach, healthcare is shaping up to be a key battleground, and the White House is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to solidify the President's vision.