U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed two senior aides on Wednesday in a move expected to reshape the agency’s top leadership team.
Heather Flick Melanson, Kennedy’s chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, the deputy chief of staff for policy, were both removed after just a few months in their roles. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the dismissals followed ongoing internal tensions.
According to CNN, Flick initially attempted to have Anderson removed from the agency because she was dissatisfied with her work, but failed to follow the proper channels. This upset Kennedy, and Flick was fired due to a loss of confidence.
“Secretary Kennedy has made a leadership change within the Immediate Office of the Secretary,” an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Effective immediately, Matt Buckham will serve as Acting Chief of Staff.”
“Mr. Buckham currently serves as the Kennedy’s White House liaison at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversees the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees across the agency. He brings valuable experience in personnel strategy and organizational management to this new role,” the spokesperson added.
Flick previously served as general counsel to former HHS Secretary Alex Azar before becoming its acting secretary for administration. Prior to that, she worked with Dhillon Law Group, a firm founded by Harmeet Dhillon, who serves as Assistant Attorney General for the Office for Civil Rights.
Anderson joined HHS after working on Capitol Hill as a health policy adviser to Republicans and recently worked for the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute think tank.
Since taking the helm at HHS, Kennedy has made sweeping reforms aimed at restoring public trust, promoting medical freedom, and reducing bureaucratic waste. He has prioritized transparency, eliminated ideological programs that politicized public health, and redirected resources toward patient-centered care and medical innovation. Under his leadership, the agency has accelerated efforts to address chronic disease, expand access to affordable care without mandates, and hold federal health institutions accountable to scientific integrity and constitutional principles.
Supporters credit Kennedy with bringing a renewed sense of mission and accountability to HHS, proving that principled leadership can deliver meaningful change—even in the largest federal health agency in the country.
