BS: Former HHS Secretary Blasts White House Defense of False Citations in MAHA Report

Published: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 6:56 pm

Becerra Slams Trump Administration's "BS" Defense of Flawed Health Report

Former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra is strongly criticizing the Trump administration's handling of a recent report, "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA), spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The report, which focuses on children's health, has been plagued by inaccuracies, including the citation of non-existent studies and misrepresentation of existing research.

Becerra, speaking at the Association of Health Care Journalists conference, dismissed the White House's explanation of the errors as mere "formatting issues" as "BS." He pointed out the importance of rigorous fact-checking before publishing, questioning how many other errors might have been missed. The report's errors were first highlighted by NOTUS and later confirmed by the New York Times.

The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the Trump administration's reliance on questionable research and claims. Becerra also criticized Kennedy's recent decision to change CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a move condemned by public health advocates. He emphasized the importance of protecting public health and the dangers of remaining silent in the face of misinformation. Becerra also highlighted the administration's actions, including the abolishment of the CDC's Office of Climate Change and Health Equity and the laying off of 20,000 HHS workers.

Becerra, who is running for California governor, also expressed concern over potential GOP-backed Medicaid cuts, predicting they could negatively impact Trump voters, particularly in rural areas. He also criticized Kennedy's potential move to prevent researchers from publishing in medical journals.

BNN's Perspective: While the former HHS Secretary's concerns about the integrity of scientific reporting and the potential impact of policy decisions on public health are valid, his strong condemnation of the administration's actions could be perceived as politically motivated, given his current gubernatorial campaign. However, the severity of the errors in the MAHA report and the potential consequences of misinformation warrant serious scrutiny.

Keywords: Xavier Becerra, HHS, Trump administration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., MAHA report, fake studies, misinformation, CDC guidelines, COVID-19 vaccine, Medicaid, public health, health policy, children's health, NOTUS, New York Times, fact-checking, scientific integrity, political criticism, California governor, GOP, healthcare.

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