The leading communications official under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unexpectedly resigned last week, only two weeks after officially taking on the role of assistant secretary for public affairs.
The resignation of Thomas Corry, who was appointed during the Trump administration, was initially reported by Politico. Corry did not reply to multiple inquiries from CBS News for comments.
Corry’s exit came mere days after Kennedy faced backlash for his response to a question regarding the escalating measles outbreak in Texas at a White House Cabinet meeting, labeling it as “not unusual” and inaccurately stating the number of deaths reported in the state.
A former HHS official and someone familiar with Corry’s perspective indicated that he expressed disappointment with Kennedy’s handling of the question, viewing it as a lost opportunity that attracted negative attention for seeming indifferent to the serious outbreak.
Corry’s frustrations were not limited to this incident, as his office dealt with a surge of inquiries concerning agency actions, ranging from canceled vaccine meetings to delayed research funding.
In contrast to previous officials in his position, who typically worked closely with the secretary, Corry lacked direct communication with Kennedy, according to one former HHS official. Federal officials noted uncertainty about whether Corry had the confidence of Kennedy or his inner circle, which undermined his authority.
During an interview with Fox News that aired on Tuesday, Kennedy claimed he had never met Corry and was not well-acquainted with his former chief spokesperson.
“I think that individual had personnel issues and was about to be dismissed, so they might have fabricated a story to justify their departure and then quit before they received that information,” Kennedy stated.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon refrained from commenting on Kennedy’s remarks. Instead, he reiterated a prior statement from principal deputy chief of staff Stefanie Spear, emphasizing Kennedy’s commitment to making measles a “top priority” for his team.
Spear is among a select group of aides currently at HHS who previously worked for Kennedy during his longshot presidential campaign. Many others were brought in from Trump supporter circles and from various federal agencies.
This includes Nixon, who previously managed press for Trump’s campaign. Nixon worked under Corry alongside Michael Brady, a former senior Army public affairs official.
Corry had previously held a communications role at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services during the COVID-19 pandemic, under the initial Trump administration.
Numerous current CMS officials have praised Corry as highly capable, trusted, and well-liked among veteran federal health officials, as well as by Trump advisers.
Spear, who also serves as a senior counselor to Kennedy, has been tightly regulating communications throughout the department, according to multiple officials.
Prior to Kennedy’s confirmation, Spear mandated an unprecedented department-wide communications “pause” that halted the dissemination of information across HHS.
Additional factors have exacerbated challenges within the communications department, including a staffing shortage, according to a former HHS official.
During the Biden administration, key civil servants in the communications office who retired in recent years were replaced by political appointees, rather than career executives who would remain after a change in White House leadership.
This complicated the transition, leaving the incoming Trump administration with a lack of institutional knowledge.
Further changes may be imminent for the remaining communications officials. A current HHS official indicated that team members were requested to submit clarifications regarding their “roles and responsibilities” by noon on Tuesday.
