Robert F. Kennedy Jr. oversees a 90,000-person agency.
Posted by The Joe Rogan Experience, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict1 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Joe Rogan ExperienceNov 6, 2026
The claim's 90,000 figure matches HHS headcount before the 2025 DOGE cuts (NPR cited about 90,000 in January 2025; Politico cites 93,400 at the start of the second Trump administration), but 2026 reporting puts current staffing at about 72,000 (Reuters, April) and below 73,000 (Politico, June).
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Uh, I left with more respect for him than ever. Uhm, I've never just, full integrity, uhm, never seen him do, you know, anything that wasn't in the best interests, in his mind, for the American people. But I spent a lot of time with him. He's got a 90,000 person agency. He's surrounded by demons who want him out and want him just destroyed. That's his staff? Really? Yeah. Yeah. And Trump's sitting at 2 million. His staff is all completely compromised, for the most, especially the whole infrastructure. …
The Joe Rogan Experience · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. Reuters reported in April 2026 that HHS now has 72,000 employees, down from 82,000 before DOGE cuts reduced the workforce to 62,000, with plans to hire 12,000 more.[1]
Contradicts. Politico reported in August 2026 that total HHS staffing sat below 73,000 as of June 2026, the lowest since 2006.[2]
Supports. NPR's January 2025 explainer said HHS employs about 90,000 people, and Politico reports 93,400 HHS staff at the start of the second Trump administration, so the figure matches the pre-cut headcount.[2][3]
Context. The only source repeating the 90,000 figure in 2026 is a Hot Air article reporting Calley Means' podcast remarks, which is not independent corroboration.[4]
Sources
4 sources: 1 fact-checker, 2 tier 2, 1 not rated
- 1Kennedy says US health agency has 72,000 staff, up from 62,000 after DOGE cutsreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
- 2RFK Jr. packs health agencies with political appointeespolitico.com · tier 2 · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 37 things about RFK Jr. you should know ahead of his Senate hearingsnpr.org · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 4Bureaucrats Are Trying To ‘Subvert’ The Trump Administration, Former Adviser Allegeshotair.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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