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HHS diverts $12M from Office of Minority Health to cover Kennedy security costs
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According to sources and a document reviewed by media, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed Congress earlier this year of plans to reallocate approximately $12 million from its Office of Minority Health to cover rising security costs for Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Multiple sources note that Kennedy, a prominent figure in the Trump administration whose father and uncle were assassinated in the 1960s, has seen his security expenses increase from about $10 million in fiscal year 2025 to $17 million in fiscal year 2026. Sources indicate the Secretary's office had discretionary funds available to cover the expense, but due to across-the-board budget cuts, HHS opted to cut $12 million from the minority health office rather than the $7 million increase in security costs alone.
Source report
September 23 (Gelonghui) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this year informed congressional appropriations committees of its plan to redirect approximately $12 million from the Office of Minority Health to cover rising security costs for Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to知情人士 and a document reviewed by media outlets.
Multiple sources noted that Kennedy, a prominent figure in the Trump administration, comes from a family with a history of political violence—his father and uncle were both assassinated in the 1960s.
Key details on the security budget:
- Fiscal Year 2025: Approximately $10 million
- Fiscal Year 2026: Approximately $17 million
According to知情人士, the Secretary's office itself has access to discretionary funds that could have been used to cover the security expenses. However, due to across-the-board budget cuts affecting the department, HHS ultimately reduced funding from the Office of Minority Health by $12 million—rather than cutting only the $7 million increase representing the rise in security costs.
Source
格隆汇Neutral / independent