HHS Allocates Funds for RFK Jr.'s Security from Minority Health Budget Cuts

<figure><img alt="U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event on screen time harm in children at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/Z3RKU5TJ5ZCBHIDGQ5OLVE56AY.JPG?auth=dae8abc4f4b0ea9b257c26b62d03265974bd54b80c74ef015509e6d32546e6f2&amp;smart=true&amp;width=5807&amp;height=3267" /><figcaption>REUTERS/Evan Vucci</figcaption></figure><p>The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has utilized funds intended for minority health initiatives to cover the rising costs of security for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The department anticipates spending $17 million on Kennedy's security in the 12 months leading up to October 2026, an increase from $10 million in the previous fiscal year, according to the Wall Street Journal.</p><p>Sources familiar with HHS's financial decisions indicated that the department had access to discretionary funds but opted to reallocate $12 million from the Office of Minority Health's budget to cover the additional $7 million required for Kennedy's protection.</p><p>The Office of Minority Health was established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan to address disparities in health outcomes, particularly among Black infants and adults. The office has focused on reducing racial health inequalities through research and policy support.</p><p>Kennedy, 72, comes from a wealthy family with an estimated net worth of approximately $1.2 billion in 2015, equivalent to about $1.7 billion in 2026. He has been granted increased security measures following a failed attack last year, which led him to cease outdoor speaking engagements.</p><p>Both his father, Robert F. Kennedy Sr., and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, were assassinated in the 1960s. HHS has defended the budget cuts to the Office of Minority Health, citing new priorities and restrictions within the department's budget. In August, HHS informed around 16 educational institutions and nonprofits of its new focus on addressing the root causes of infertility and reproductive health issues, including low sperm count and erectile dysfunction, as reported by the Journal.</p><p>The Daily Beast has reached out to HHS for further comment.</p>