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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s chief spokesperson resigned from the role on Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences with an effort to advance e-cigarette flavors that could cause children to become addicted.
Rich Danker left his role as assistant secretary for public affairs a day after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary officially stepped down for the same reason.
“Senior HHS officials in the immediate office of the secretary have in recent months sought U.S. Food and Drug Administration marketing approval of cigarette flavors that would appeal to children and expose them to nicotine addiction, lung damage and higher risk of cancer,” Danker wrote in his resignation letter to President Trump, according to the New York Times.
“Routine approval of these products would undermine the agency’s Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Premarket Applications Considerations Related to Youth Risk guidance for industry issued March with the support of the White House,” he added.
Danker did not blame Trump for the advancement of policy promoting e-cigarettes, despite the president’s explicit push to save vaping.
Last week, the Trump administration approved the sale of blueberry- and mango-flavored nicotine vaping pods, as well as two menthol-flavored products, marking the first time a fruit-flavored electronic cigarette was authorized on the market.
The products will be manufactured by Glas Inc., a company that says it will block children from purchasing the product by using age verification methods that include checking government-issued IDs and Bluetooth connection on one’s smartphone.
Danker is the second spokesperson to resign over policy concerns.
Top spokesperson Tom Corry resigned in March 2025, following Kennedy’s approach to handling the measles outbreak in Texas.
HHS did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the most recent resignation.
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