Former Vice President Mike Pence has called for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down, accusing him of failing to conduct a safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone. “Kennedy should step aside and give President Trump the opportunity to select a new HHS Secretary who will deliver pro-life results for the American people,” Pence stated in remarks attributed to his advocacy group, the Advancing American Freedom Foundation.

A memo from the foundation asserts that Kennedy has become “a progressive wolf in pro-life sheep’s clothing,” noting he has not met even the basic bar for a pro-life administration. The document emphasizes Kennedy was confirmed under the expectation he would protect vulnerable women and children—instead pursuing “four more years of progressive pro-abortion policies” at HHS.

Pence highlighted that Kennedy’s pledge to direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review mifepristone’s safety, which he accused the prior administration of “twisting the data” on, remains incomplete despite Biden-era mail-order access expanding abortion pill availability nationwide. Pro-life advocates have criticized FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary for delaying the review until after the 2026 midterm elections, a stance Pence’s group aligns with in demanding Kennedy’s resignation.