RFK Jr. Spokesman Quits Over Vaping Policy

Rich Danker, a top spokesman for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resigned after breaking with the administration over a new policy that would allow the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

In a letter to President Trump, Danker argued that the decision would make vaping products more attractive to children, according to reports. The move turns an internal policy dispute into a public clash over youth health, regulation, and the political cost of loosening rules on products that critics say hook young users early.

Danker said allowing flavored e-cigarette sales would increase their appeal to children.

The resignation matters because it comes from a senior communications official, not an outside critic. Spokespeople usually defend policy; they rarely leave in protest. That choice signals how sharply some figures inside the broader orbit of the administration view the flavored vaping issue, especially as health officials and lawmakers continue to debate whether such products help adult smokers quit or draw in a new generation of nicotine users.

The policy fight reaches beyond one resignation. Flavored e-cigarettes have long sat at the center of arguments between public health advocates, regulators, and industry voices. Supporters of tighter restrictions say flavors drive youth experimentation; opponents often argue adults use those same products as alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Danker’s departure gives fresh momentum to the stricter side of that debate.

What happens next will test whether the administration stands firmly behind the policy or faces broader pressure to revisit it. If more officials, advocates, or lawmakers line up behind Danker’s warning, the flavored vaping decision could become a larger political and public health flashpoint — one that shapes not just regulation, but trust in how these decisions get made.