Rich Danker, the top spokesman for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has resigned in protest over a new vaping policy backed by the Trump administration.
In a letter to President Trump, Danker objected to allowing the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, arguing the move would make the products more attractive to children. The departure marks a significant split between Kennedy's health advocacy operation and the White House on a key regulatory question.
Danker had served as a central voice for Kennedy's messaging since his appointment to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. His exit signals tension within Trump's inner circle over how aggressively to pursue deregulation in the tobacco and nicotine space.
The dispute centers on federal restrictions that currently prohibit most flavored e-cigarettes from the market. The administration has signaled openness to easing those rules, a move Danker views as a threat to youth health. His concerns echo warnings from public health researchers who have documented a correlation between flavored nicotine products and rising teen vaping use.
Kennedy has built his public profile partly on skepticism of pharmaceutical industry influence and promotion of preventive health measures. His team's internal disagreement over flavored vaping policies reflects broader uncertainty about how his leadership at HHS will balance Trump's deregulation agenda with Kennedy's own health-focused commitments.
Danker's resignation letter represents one of the first public cracks in Kennedy's operation since joining the administration. The timing and substance of his departure will likely draw scrutiny from public health advocates and lawmakers monitoring whether Kennedy's health priorities align with White House commercial interests.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Danker's exit is a telling moment, when principle actually collides with the Trump administration's anti-regulatory zeal."
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