Trump Ally May Soon Depart After Court Loss, Author Says

Journalist Michael Wolff believes the "wheels are coming off" the second Trump administration.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 3:21am

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One of President Donald Trump's allies, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., may soon depart the administration after a federal judge in Boston overturned some of his controversial policies, according to author Michael Wolff. Wolff argues the court loss could cause Trump to reconsider keeping Kennedy around, and that it shows the "wheels are coming off" the second Trump administration as the president struggles politically ahead of a war with Iran.

Why it matters

The potential departure of a key Trump ally like Kennedy would signal growing turmoil within the administration, as the president faces a political crisis exacerbated by an impending war. Wolff's comments suggest Trump's grip on power may be slipping in his second term.

The details

On Monday, a federal judge in Boston overturned some of Kennedy's most controversial policies, like revising the CDC's vaccine recommendations and changing the vaccine schedule for children. Journalist Michael Wolff believes this court loss could lead Trump to remove Kennedy from his administration, as the president grows concerned about the "bad look" and the sense that the "wheels are coming off" politically ahead of a war with Iran.

  • On Monday, a federal judge in Boston overturned some of Kennedy's controversial policies.

The players

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Health Secretary in the Trump administration.

Michael Wolff

Journalist who has written four books about President Trump.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“I don't think anything looks good; it's not a good look. And that's what Trump is going to start to say. That's the thing that's going to start to go around in his head.”

— Michael Wolff, Journalist (Inside Trump's Head podcast)

“The wheels are coming off ... in so many ways. And even before the war in Iran started, politically, he was in a very complicated position ... His inability to read the room when it comes to putting his name on buildings. I mean, his own numbers are terrible. Sinking. Sinking fast. And then the war comes along. So we're going to go from a political crisis to a political catastrophe.”

— Michael Wolff, Journalist (Inside Trump's Head podcast)

What’s next

The judge's ruling against Kennedy's policies could prompt Trump to remove him from the administration in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The potential departure of a key Trump ally like Kennedy would signal growing turmoil within the administration, as the president faces a political crisis exacerbated by an impending war with Iran and a federal court ruling against one of his most controversial Cabinet members.