The Unlikely Lawsuit: Children’s Health Defense Sues Its Founder, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In a shocking twist, Children’s Health Defense (CHD), the anti-vaccine advocacy group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has turned against its own creator. Kennedy, now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), faces a lawsuit from CHD because they believe he hasn’t made drastic enough changes to address what they call "imminently dangerous" items—namely vaccines, especially the COVID-19 vaccine.
Instead, CHD argues that Kennedy is focusing on less critical issues like food additives, which, while necessary to address, pale in comparison to the urgency of vaccine safety concerns like those surrounding the Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine.
Background: A Fractured Alliance
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. founded CHD in 2016 (originally the World Mercury Project) to push for what he calls "vaccine safety" and to challenge the influence of Big Pharma and government agencies. For years, Kennedy and CHD were united in their mission, filing lawsuits and raising awareness about perceived vaccine dangers. His appointment as HHS secretary in 2025 was a victory for the anti-vaccine movement, but it also marked the beginning of a rift. CHD expected Kennedy to enact bold, radical changes to vaccine policy. Instead, they claim he’s been sidetracked, focusing on food additives while leaving vaccines—seen as the real threat—largely untouched.
CHD insists they’re suing Kennedy not out of spite, but to hold him accountable and help him succeed. They want him to live up to his promises and make the sweeping changes they believe are necessary to protect children’s health and return society to a pre-vaccine "norm." But why sue their own founder? Let’s dive into the details.
The Lawsuit: Demanding Action on Vaccine Safety
The core of CHD’s lawsuit, filed in 2025, revolves around the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986. This law mandates that the HHS secretary establish a task force to promote safer childhood vaccines and report biennially to Congress on progress. CHD alleges that Kennedy, like every HHS secretary before him, has failed to create this task force or submit the required reports. They argue this inaction is a betrayal of his duty and a direct threat to children’s health.
While the lawsuit zeroes in on this legal obligation, it’s clear that CHD’s grievances go deeper. They’re frustrated that Kennedy hasn’t taken aggressive steps to overhaul vaccine policy, particularly regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and childhood shots like Hep B. In their view, vaccines are "imminently dangerous," and Kennedy’s failure to act decisively—whether by imposing stricter regulations or banning certain vaccines—shows he’s not the radical reformer they expected. By suing him, CHD hopes to force his hand and compel him to prioritize vaccines over less urgent issues like food additives.
Kennedy’s Changes: Steps Taken, but Not Enough
Since taking office, Kennedy has made some changes to vaccine policy, though CHD and its supporters argue they fall far short of what’s needed. Here’s what he’s done so far:
-COVID-19 Vaccine Removal: In May 2025, Kennedy removed COVID-19 vaccines from the recommended list for healthy children and pregnant women. This move sparked immediate backlash from medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which sued him, claiming the decision was baseless and violated federal law. CHD, however, sees this as a half-measure—why stop at recommendations when they want vaccines like this off the market entirely?
-Thimerosal in Flu Vaccines: Kennedy has pushed to eliminate multidose flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative he’s long criticized. While this aligns with CHD’s concerns about vaccine ingredients, they argue it’s a minor tweak, not the systemic overhaul they demand.
-Scrutiny of Immunization Schedules: Kennedy has signaled plans to review childhood and adolescent vaccine schedules, hinting at potential reductions. But no concrete actions have followed, leaving CHD impatient for more.
Despite these efforts, CHD believes Kennedy is missing the mark. Food additives, while a valid public health issue, don’t compare to the "imminent danger" of vaccines in their eyes. They want radical change—think bans on certain vaccines or a complete rethinking of the vaccination program—not incremental adjustments. To CHD, Kennedy’s focus on additives suggests he’s either distracted or, worse, compromised.
Compromised? Allegations of Pharma, Medical, and Israeli Influence
CHD and some of Kennedy’s critics have raised a bombshell accusation: that he’s been compromised by external forces, including pharmaceutical companies, the medical establishment, and—most intriguingly—Israeli interests. These claims paint a picture of a man whose judgment is clouded and whose administrative role is under coercive pressure.
-Pharmaceutical Influence: It seems paradoxical to suggest Kennedy, a vocal Big Pharma critic, is in their pocket. Yet some argue his reluctance to enact drastic vaccine reforms implies he’s bowing to industry pressure. There’s no hard evidence of this in public records, but the perception persists among those who feel he’s softened his stance since taking office.
-Medical Establishment: Kennedy’s appointment of anti-vaccine advocates to federal advisory committees has irked mainstream medical groups, who accuse him of sidelining science. CHD flips this narrative, suggesting he’s not sidelining them enough—perhaps because he’s wary of their backlash.
-Israeli Interests: This is the murkiest claim. Some speculate that geopolitical ties, possibly linked to vaccine production or distribution, are influencing Kennedy. However, no clear evidence ties Israeli interests to U.S. vaccine policy, making this a speculative leap. It’s possible this reflects broader conspiracy theories rather than a substantiated accusation.
CHD doesn’t explicitly detail these influences in the lawsuit, but their rhetoric hints at frustration with Kennedy’s perceived timidity. They believe he’s not acting radically because he’s under pressure, and they’re suing to give him the leverage—or excuse—to break free and do what’s right.
Why Not Far Enough? The Push for Radical Change
CHD’s vision is clear: they want Kennedy to go beyond tweaking recommendations or reviewing schedules. They’re calling for a return to what they see as a "norm"—a world with fewer vaccines, stricter safety standards, or even outright bans on shots like COVID-19 and Hep B, which they claim pose unacceptable risks. Kennedy’s current changes, while notable, don’t meet this threshold. Removing COVID-19 vaccines from certain lists is a start, but CHD wants systemic upheaval—something Kennedy hasn’t delivered.
Critics of CHD argue this radicalism ignores scientific consensus, which holds that vaccines are safe and essential. Medical groups suing Kennedy over his COVID-19 decision warn that his actions—and CHD’s pressure—could fuel vaccine hesitancy and disease outbreaks. CHD counters that the establishment is corrupt, and Kennedy’s failure to fully reject its framework proves he’s not the leader they need.
The Bigger Picture: Accountability and Division
This lawsuit isn’t just about Kennedy—it’s a symptom of a broader divide in the anti-vaccine movement. CHD sees it as a way to hold their founder accountable and push him toward success. They’re not abandoning him; they’re trying to save him from himself (and, they’d argue, from external pressures). But it also reveals cracks in a movement that once rallied behind Kennedy. Some supporters still see him as their champion, while others, like CHD, feel betrayed by his moderation.
The legal outcome remains uncertain. The 1986 Act does mandate a task force, so CHD has a technical case. Whether it forces Kennedy to act—or radicalizes his approach—depends on the courts and his response. Beyond the courtroom, this saga underscores a fierce debate about vaccines, trust in government, and what "protecting children" really means.