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HHS Secretary Kennedy Faces Impeachment Talk After Midterms

MedPage Today reports growing Congressional pressure on HHS Secretary Kennedy over vaccine policy and measles response after the midterm elections.

By Dr. Josh Axe · November 7, 2026 · 2 sources · Watch

MedPage Today reported on November 6, 2026, that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s future is uncertain after Democrats swept the congressional midterms, with public health groups renewing calls for his impeachment.

MedPage Today reported on November 6, 2026, that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s standing in Washington is in question after the Democrats' midterm sweep. Public health groups, including Protect Our Care, renewed impeachment calls, with the group's Kayla Hancock saying the administration has dug in against a full-scale federal measles vaccination effort as cases rise.

Georges Benjamin, MD, of the American Public Health Association told the outlet Kennedy will face mounting oversight from an incoming Democratic Congress, though removal would require a two-thirds Senate vote, a steep threshold. Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, MD, of Michigan told CNN he plans to investigate Kennedy's FDA and CDC cuts and their link to a summer diarrheal outbreak traced to contaminated lettuce. Policy analyst Steven Grossman, JD, wrote in a MedPage Today opinion piece that Kennedy is now more likely to resign than serve out the term, given expected hostile hearings and less White House support.

The dispute centers on Kennedy's handling of HHS, including closing agency offices and redirecting funds, such as defunding the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality while keeping it formally open, alongside his public questioning of vaccine safety during an active measles epidemic. Analysts quoted expect scrutiny of ACIP changes, the pediatric vaccine schedule, drug pricing deals and Medicaid cuts regardless of Kennedy's tenure.

Kennedy's HHS Tenure Under Pressure

Nov 6, 2026Protect Our Care renews calls for Kennedy's impeachment over measles response
Nov 6, 2026Georges Benjamin, MD, says Kennedy will face mounting Congressional oversight
Nov 6, 2026Senator-elect El-Sayed says he will investigate FDA/CDC cuts tied to a lettuce-linked outbreak
Nov 6, 2026Analyst Steven Grossman writes resignation is now more likely than finishing the term

MedPage Today, November 6, 2026

MedPage Today reports no confirmed resignation, firing or impeachment vote; all statements are predictions or political positioning from named sources. A Department spokesperson said Kennedy intends to continue his agenda, so the outcome stays unresolved.

Dr. Axe’s Take

Oversight of vaccine policy, agency funding and the measles response is a legitimate job for Congress, and I expect Secretary Kennedy to face real hearings whether or not removal ever reaches a vote. For families, the bigger story doesn't change based on who holds this office: build immune resilience through real food, vitamin D from sunlight, consistent sleep and stress management, and talk through any vaccine decision with your own pediatrician rather than taking cues from Washington theater. Watch the actual measles case counts and CDC guidance, not headlines about who keeps a job.

— Dr. Axe

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Story summary

Who: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following the 2026 congressional midterm elections
Design: News analysis citing statements from public health officials, lawmakers and policy analysts
Primary result: Kennedy's political future is uncertain; removal via impeachment would require a two-thirds Senate vote
Secondary: Senator-elect El-Sayed plans to investigate FDA/CDC cuts tied to a summer diarrheal outbreak linked to lettuce; analyst Grossman wrote in a MedPage Today opinion piece that resignation is now more likely than completing the term
Date: Nov 6, 2026