The Department of Health and Human Services is facing a deepening leadership crisis. Rich Danker, the chief spokesperson for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resigned on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. His exit marks the second high-level HHS departure in just 48 hours. Together, these back-to-back resignations expose a sharp internal divide over the Trump administration’s decision to approve flavored vaping products.
Who Is Rich Danker?
Danker served as the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at HHS. In that role, he acted as the primary communications lead for Secretary Kennedy. He joined the department roughly a year ago. Notably, HHS leadership had already decided to replace Danker before he submitted his resignation. Multiple sources familiar with the matter confirmed this, speaking anonymously to protect their positions.
Furthermore, Danker is the second communications chief to leave under Kennedy’s tenure. Thomas Corry previously resigned from the same role after disagreements over Kennedy’s response to a measles outbreak in Texas. The pattern points to recurring tension within HHS’s communications function.
Why Did Danker Resign?
The Flavored Vape Dispute
Danker sent a resignation letter directly to President Donald Trump. In it, he raised serious concerns about flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS. He wrote that senior HHS officials had pushed the FDA to authorize cigarette flavors that “would appeal to children and expose them to nicotine addiction, lung damage and higher risk of cancer.”
Critically, Danker did not name President Trump or Secretary Kennedy directly in his letter. Instead, he pointed to unnamed senior officials within the department. However, his protest clearly targets a policy shift the administration is actively advancing.
The FDA’s Flavored Vape Decision
Last week, the FDA officially authorized the sale of two fruit-flavored vaping products — blueberry and mango — from a company called Glas Inc. This marks the first time the US government has approved non-tobacco flavored vapes for the market.
The FDA argues these products serve adult smokers who seek alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Glas Inc. says it will use age-verification technology, including government-issued ID checks, to prevent minors from purchasing them.
However, public health advocates strongly disagree with this rationale. They warn that fruity flavors are proven to attract young people. Moreover, health groups argue that expanding flavored product approvals undermines years of youth anti-vaping efforts. Tobacco companies, on the other hand, had long lobbied for a faster, clearer approval process.
Conflict With Earlier HHS Guidance
Danker’s resignation letter also cited a specific concern about regulatory consistency. He noted that the new FDA policy contradicts guidance issued on March 9, 2026, regarding flavored ENDS products and youth risk. That earlier guidance carried White House support. Thus, the new approvals appear to conflict with the administration’s own prior public health position.
Makary’s Resignation: A Day Earlier
Danker’s exit came just one day after FDA Commissioner Marty Makary submitted his own resignation on Tuesday, May 12. Makary had reportedly opposed broader flavored vape authorizations. He had tried to slow or block approvals for fruit-flavored products from Glas Inc. — but officials overruled him.
Therefore, two of the most senior health officials in the country resigned within 24 hours over the exact same policy dispute. This simultaneous walkout signals that internal opposition to the vaping decision was significant, even among Kennedy’s own team.
Growing Leadership Gaps at HHS
These back-to-back resignations leave HHS with at least three major leadership vacancies. Currently, the department lacks a permanent FDA Commissioner, a Surgeon General, and now a Communications Chief. Additionally, the position of CDC Director also remains unfilled.
This level of leadership instability is unusual. It raises real questions about the department’s ability to manage ongoing public health priorities — from food safety to disease surveillance — during a period of significant regulatory change. In response, an HHS spokesperson stated that the department has made “major health reforms” under President Trump and Secretary Kennedy, and will continue to do so.
What Happens Next?
The Trump administration has not yet named a replacement for Danker. Similarly, a new FDA Commissioner has not been announced since Makary’s departure. Meanwhile, pressure is growing from health advocates, lawmakers, and former officials who oppose the flavored vape policy.
In conclusion, the resignations of Rich Danker and Marty Makary represent more than two individual exits. Together, they reveal a fundamental policy clash inside one of the most important health agencies in the world — one that could shape the future of nicotine regulation in the United States.
