Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sheryl Gay Stolberg promoted her new article in The New York Times titled, ‘RFK Jr. Appears Disengaged on Many Health Department Matters Beyond Vaccines,’ with this summary on social media: “NEW: Major posts are vacant. Waves of scientists are gone. Ebola looms. How RFK Jr. manages HHS: ‘If the C.E.O. lacked deep expertise in the company’s business and the leaders of its most important divisions were missing, investors would revolt.’”
The Secretary of Health & Human Services posted an 871-word response on social media. Kennedy described the article as “unfair, inimical, and inaccurate.”
He added, “All one needs to refute your argument is to glance at my publicly available calendar and to review my unprecedented list of accomplishments on a wide range of issues, all of which I drove. You evidently never undertook these foundational due diligences. Why let facts obscure a good story?”
Sheryl. Your article exemplifies the biased reporting we have come to expect from you and @nytimes. It was unfair, inimical, and inaccurate. All one needs to refute your argument is to glance at my publicly available calendar and to review my unprecedented list of accomplishments… https://t.co/IhD2qDRCo7
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) June 10, 2026
The New York Times communications department replied to Kennedy’s lengthy post: “The Times set out to examine Secretary Kennedy’s leadership and management style in light of numerous vacancies within the Department of Health and Human Services and concerns internally about his detachment from key issues and officials.
“The secretary declined an interview request and did not address detailed questions before publication about his approach to running the department. This article is based on conversations with a dozen people who have worked directly with Mr. Kennedy during his tenure as secretary. We are confident in our reporting.”