Is the door closing soon on Robert Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) as President Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary? Insiders are pointing to several recent personnel moves as an indication that the president is tiring of RFK Jr’s outlandish vaccine theories and his outrageous personal behavior. The two have always been an odd match, with Kennedy part of Democratic royalty in this country and their political differences on environmental and other social issues.

And after ousting Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Tulsi Gabbard, betting money was that FBI director Kash Patel was next out the door due to his supposed alcohol problems, questionable use of official aircraft, and disappointing performance in some high-profile cases. But the tea leaves have shifted, and it now appears that RFK Jr. is the one under Trump’s microscope.

Is RFK Jr. Still in Charge at HHS?

In February of this year, Chris Klomp was hired by HHS as their chief counselor. He had been serving at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as the director of Medicare, a title he has retained along with his new position. He was promoted following a glowing recommendation from his boss at the time, Mehmet Oz. Klomp was brought over to HHS to assist RFK Jr. with the management of the department, especially as it relates to personnel decisions.

To that end, he has taken the lead on hiring Erica Schwartz as CDC director, Sean Slovenski as CDC deputy director and chief operating officer, Jennifer Shuford as CDC deputy director and chief medical officer, and Sara Brenner as senior counselor for public health to RFK Jr. Trump has said about Klomp, “You don’t know his name as much as some of the others, but he’s a real star of the group.” Klomp is also a personal friend of Donald Trump Jr.

And he has another strong ally in the White House. Chief of staff, Susie Wiles, who is Trump’s gatekeeper, is said to be a strong proponent of Klomp due to Oz’s glowing recommendation of him. Skeptical Congressional Democrats say that he was hired to babysit RFK Jr. because the White House doesn’t trust him. They go on to claim that Kennedy now acts as a figurehead and that Klomp is now running the show at HHS. Klomp’s move to HHS might have set the stage for another personnel change.

What About Dr. Oz?

Discussion has heated up in DC over rumors that Dr. Oz is on the brink of being appointed as RFK Jr.’s replacement. With White House press secretary Karoline Levitt on maternity leave, other high-ranking administration officials have stepped in to lead at the White House Press Briefings. Vice President JD Vance has taken his turn at the podium, as has secretary of state Marco Rubio. Dr. Oz was assigned the duty on June 2, but as of yet, Trump has not asked RFK Jr. to lead the gathering.

All of this alongside rumors that RFK Jr. has checked out of his role and is only handling “pet projects.” This has led to low morale within the department and uncertainty about its ability to handle an emergency situation. He has focused most of his attention on his well-known distrust of vaccines and rarely engages in the rest of HHS’s responsibilities. To highlight this concern, HHS staffers have reported that RFK Jr. has attended very few briefings regarding the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa.

He shows up late for department-wide meetings and has delegated much of his work to his trusted advisor, Stefanie Spear, who is very protective of her longtime boss. He has lost so much credibility within the medical community that the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities announced that,

“Congress should conduct oversight hearings and possibly impeach officials such as Robert F Kennedy Jr, calling his changes harmful and detrimental to the autistic community.”

Will Trump Make the Move?

Perhaps the president has tired of hearing too many stories of RFK Jr. dumping bear carcasses in Central Park, his infestation of brain worms, or the bludgeoning of whale heads. Perhaps Trump sees a cabinet member who has checked out and can no longer be considered a political asset.

Or maybe the president has the perfect scenario in place: a top-notch administrator and a ready replacement for a troubled department head. Whether any or all of these conditions exist, it’s fair to say that RFK Jr’s stay in DC is almost over.