Do Americans approve of how RFK Jr. is handling his job? What a new poll found
Most Americans are not happy with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s performance as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to new polling, which comes four months into his tenure overseeing America’s vast health care bureaucracy.
In the latest Quinnipiac University survey, 53% of respondents said they do not approve of Kennedy’s handling of his job, while 38% said they approve.
The results broke along partisan lines, with 76% of Republicans signaling their approval and 91% of Democrats expressing opposition. Independents were more split, with 55% disapproving and 36% approving.
The findings from the poll — which sampled 1,265 registered voters June 5-9 — have remained relatively unchanged over time.
In a March Quinnipiac survey, 49% disapproved of Kennedy’s performance, while 38% approved, marking a 4-point shift.
Vaccine guidance
Respondents in the latest poll were also asked what groups or individuals they trust the most for guidance when it comes to deciding whether to get vaccines for themselves or family members.
A large plurality, 44%, said they trusted their doctor, while 28% said they trusted themselves most.
Following this, 21% said they placed the most trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and just 5% said they trusted Kennedy the most.
Among Republicans, 11% said they placed the most trust in Kennedy, while 5% of independents and a negligible share of Democrats said the same.
The poll has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.
Kennedy’s agenda
Kennedy — who was confirmed as HHS secretary in February, following a 52-48 vote in the Senate — has made a number of large-scale changes at the department, including some related to red tape and vaccine policies.
He has moved to cut the size of the department, firing thousands of staffers, in a bid to eliminate what he called an “alphabet soup” of health agencies, NPR reported.
The former presidential candidate has also pushed for deregulation, committing to a “10-to-1” policy under which at least 10 regulations would be removed for every one that is added.
“To Make America Healthy Again, we must free our doctors and caregivers to do what they do best—prevent and treat chronic disease,” he said in a statement in May. “We cannot allow their time and talent to be wasted on bureaucratic red tape and paperwork.”
“Make America Healthy Again,” also referred to as MAHA, has been Kennedy’s mantra as he helms HHS. Its core tenets are combating chronic disease, reforming food and pharmaceutical regulations and ending corruption in health care.
Kennedy — a longtime vaccine skeptic — has also made significant changes regarding vaccine policy.
In June, he fired all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which makes official recommendations on vaccines. He then replaced them with eight new advisers, including one scientist who has expressed criticism of COVID-19 vaccines, PBS News reported.
The secretary has pledged to determine the cause of autism, which he calls an epidemic, by September. He has previously postulated a potential link between vaccines and childhood autism. He also moved to ban eight commonly used food dyes from the food supply by 2026.
Many Democrats have been critical of Kennedy from the onset.
For example, ahead of his confirmation vote, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement that Kennedy “has spent the past three decades ignoring the science and lying to parents about vaccines, all the while enriching himself by the doubt he has created.” He added that he is “unqualified, unfit, and dangerous.”
Republicans, meanwhile, have largely expressed support for the HHS secretary, who endorsed President Donald Trump three months ahead of the 2024 election, though some signaled concern about his stance on vaccines.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Do Americans approve of how RFK Jr. is handling his job? What a new poll found."