据《华尔街日报》报道，美国卫生部长肯尼迪因未能按总统特朗普的要求采取更激进的疫苗削减举措而失宠 [1]。特朗普对肯尼迪在联邦疫苗建议方面的行动力度感到失望 [1]。
特朗普曾在5月期间称肯尼迪患有"the yips"，声称这阻止了其推进反疫苗议程 [1]。到了6月，特朗普在椭圆形办公室直接向肯尼迪表达了这一不满，称其做得还不够 [1]。特朗普执着于将削减儿童疫苗接种作为其政治遗产的一部分，尽管疫苗导致自闭症的说法已被充分驳斥 [1]。
According to a Wall Street Journal report, President Trump has grown dissatisfied with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, over his failure to aggressively pursue vaccine reduction measures as the president envisioned.[1] Trump has been fixated on establishing a link between vaccines and autism—a claim that has been thoroughly debunked—and wanted to reduce childhood vaccination rates as part of his political legacy, but has expressed disappointment with Kennedy's limited action on federal vaccine recommendations and the autism connection.[1]
Trump conveyed his frustration directly to Kennedy on multiple occasions, telling him in the Oval Office in June that his efforts were insufficient.[1] Earlier, in May, Trump had characterized Kennedy as having "the yips," suggesting that Kennedy was being held back from advancing the anti-vaccine agenda.[1]