Resignation of Key Architect in Trump-Kennedy Alliance

A significant figure in the collaboration between President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stepped down from his position at the White House on Thursday. Calley Means, an author and wellness advocate, explained his resignation was due to frustration with “dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick.”

Means was instrumental in arranging a phone call during the 2024 election that garnered Kennedy’s endorsement for Trump’s campaign. Following this, Trump appointed Kennedy as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, a crucial role overseeing national health policies.

In a conversation with reporters on Thursday afternoon, Trump remarked, “I don’t know him very well,” referring to Kennedy, but added, “MAHA is great.”

For many months, officials within the administration have emphasized the importance of food policy to engage Kennedy’s supporters from two years prior, in hopes of encouraging their votes in the upcoming midterm elections. Just days before the election, Means, who had been a key proponent of the administration’s food policy, publicly shared his concerns that the administration was hindering necessary changes.

I am resigning from the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and Bobby Kennedy. They laid out a vision of combating the entrenched, dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick. More policy and cultural change has happened around these goals in the past 2 years than any time in history – and I know this movement is just getting started. It was an honor to advocate for MAHA moms in the administration and steer policies like Dietary Guidelines reform, psychedelic reform, removing soda from SNAP, removing food dyes, GRAS reform, and overhauling government food procurement.

Despite his resignation, Means remains hopeful about the future of the MAHA movement, citing several achievements, such as updated dietary guidelines, expanded access to psychedelics for mental health treatment, and agreements with big food companies to eliminate artificial food dyes and reform food safety standards.

He noted, “More policy and cultural change has happened around these goals in the past 2 years than any time in history — and I know this movement is just getting started.”

Politico reported that the White House canceled a scheduled meeting with Means and Kennedy, which was intended to clarify the federal definition of “ultra-processed foods.” This meeting had reportedly been presented as a way to reconnect with disillusioned MAHA voters.

Currently, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is considering two proposed rules related to food policy. One aims to replace the outdated “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) pathway that allows food companies to introduce new additives without FDA notification. The second regulation focuses on standardizing what constitutes “ultra-processed foods,” potentially impacting school lunches, food labels, and dietary guidelines.

Means had caused some friction within the administration with his assertive reform initiatives, as the bureaucratic processes are often slow. Some current and former officials stated that the bureaucratic hurdles were sometimes employed as an excuse to delay policies that faced opposition from powerful corporate interests.

One former official described him as “the last principled warrior willing to stand up to corruption and special interests.”

In February, Trump signed an executive order favoring the domestic supply of glyphosate, a herbicide linked to various health issues, under the Defense Production Act. By May, the FDA Commissioner had resigned amid pressures, and a key aide dealing with pharmaceutical policy was dismissed after controversies regarding drugmakers’ dissatisfaction with certain changes.

Officials have indicated a shift of focus from vaccine and pharmaceutical issues towards nutrition policy in preparation for the midterm elections, based on polling insights from Trump’s primary pollster. A prior poll indicated significant distrust in the pharmaceutical industry and concerns about vaccine mandates among voters.

This pivot toward nutrition policy has unsettled some critics of the mRNA vaccine technology behind Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID vaccines. They expressed, in an open letter, that there was a “bait and switch” that misrepresented broader public objections to mRNA technology as a limited concern about food colorings.

With Means’ resignation, the notable advocate for reforming food dyes and other health policies leaves a significant gap in the effort to promote healthier dietary standards.