Two senior aides to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to depart amid leadership shakeup

Two senior leaders at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are expected to step down as part of a broader restructuring within the agency.

Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and General Counsel Mike Stuart are preparing to leave their roles, according to sources familiar with the changes. Administration officials have reportedly discussed offering them other government positions as leadership at the department is reshaped.

O’Neill has served as second-in-command to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and has also been acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His tenure has drawn attention in part for his public messaging and role in shaping policy direction at the agency.

The departures come as federal officials seek to reorganize leadership and sharpen the department’s policy focus and communications strategy ahead of the midterm elections. The White House is expected to emphasize healthcare policy, including efforts to lower drug prices and address overall health costs.

As part of the transition, several staff members are being elevated to new leadership roles. Among them is Medicare administrator Chris Klomp, who is expected to serve as chief counselor at HHS and oversee daily operations, effectively acting as the department’s chief of staff.

Officials have not yet publicly commented on the planned departures. The leadership changes remain part of an ongoing effort to reshape the direction and priorities of the federal health agency.

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