Federal Health Policy and Leadership

President RFK Jr. has reshuffled top health department leadership, removing Deputy Secretary/acting CDC director Jim O’Neill and elevating CMS official Chris Klomp. Two White House officials and another person familiar say HHS principal deputy chief of staff and senior counselor Stefanie Spear is being pushed into a diminished role amid complaints about her performance and past conflicts, though White House spokesperson Kush Desai denies any change and says she will remain a senior counselor; Spear is one of RFK Jr.’s closest aides with roots in his environmental and anti‑vaccine advocacy.