President-elect Donald Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Well being and Human Companies Thursday, vowing that the famous vaccine skeptic will finish the “power illness epidemic.”
Kennedy, 70, has been a staunch supporter of Trump since suspending his impartial presidential bid in August, and the president-elect had teased that he would let RFK Jr. “go wild” ought to the Republican nominee win the Nov. 5 election.
Regardless of his well-known opposition to vaccination of youngsters, Kennedy insisted the day after Trump, 78, turned the forty seventh president-elect that he was not going to “take away” anybody’s vaccines.
“If vaccines are working for someone, I’m not going to take them away. Folks must have alternative, and that alternative ought to learn by the most effective data,” he advised NBC Information Nov. 6. “So I’m going to ensure scientific security research and efficacy are on the market, and other people could make particular person assessments about whether or not that product goes to be good for them.”
One other Kennedy bugaboo, the follow of placing fluoride in native water provides, is regulated by state and native municipalities, making it unlikely that he could have any say in that matter, both
If confirmed as head of HHS, RFK Jr. will oversee an enormous community of businesses and subagencies that cowl subjects as assorted as vitamin, immigration and even biodefense analysis.
Kennedy has known as out what he describes as “insidious corruption on the FDA, the NIH, the HHS, and the USDA” and warned Meals and Drug Administration workers in a X put up days earlier than the election that if Trump gained, “I’ve two messages for you: 1. Protect your information, and a pair of. Pack your baggage.”
One Senate Republican supply was aghast at Trump’s choose, telling The Publish that “RFK has as a lot probability of getting confirmed by the Senate as he does of taking a vaccine shot.”
The supply added that it’s unclear whether or not the specter of a recess appointment of Kennedy by Trump could lead on soon-to-be Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-SD) to maintain the higher chamber in a marathon session, saying “that dynamic remains to be being labored by.”
“For too lengthy, Individuals have been crushed by the economic meals complicated and drug firms who’ve engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation in terms of Public Well being,” Trump wrote in his nomination announcement, making uncommon use of his X account to broadcast a cupboard choose.
“The Security and Well being of all Individuals is an important function of any Administration, and HHS will play a giant function in serving to be sure that everyone can be shielded from dangerous chemical compounds, pollution, pesticides, pharmaceutical merchandise, and meals components which have contributed to the overwhelming Well being Disaster on this Nation. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Companies to the traditions of Gold Normal Scientific Analysis, and beacons of Transparency, to finish the Persistent Illness epidemic, and to Make America Nice and Wholesome Once more!”
Trump’s determination to supply Kennedy the HHS place was first reported by Politico and comes sooner or later after The Publish reported that Kennedy — an honorary chair of the Trump transition crew — was gunning exhausting for the secretary function whereas allies have been pushing him to simply accept a lesser advisory put up.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, the previous secretary of Housing and City Growth in Trump’s first time period, was additionally aiming to run HHS, sources had advised The Publish.
Kennedy, the son of the late lawyer normal and senator from New York, was beforehand thought-about to run the Environmental Safety Company by former President Barack Obama after the 2008 election, whereas Trump weighed tapping the Democratic scion for a slot on a vaccine fee throughout his first time period.
RFK Jr. ran for president in 2024 — first as a Democrat after which as an impartial — vowing to alter well being habits in America, bashing Massive Pharma and the meals trade. He and his working mate Nicole Shanahan questioned the necessity for some vaccines and the impacts that they had on the physique, and have been publicly confused about their ticket’s abortion platform.
At one level in his marketing campaign, Kennedy backed legalizing abortion even at “full time period,” earlier than issuing a press release saying he backed limiting the process at “fetal viability,” sometimes outlined as 24 weeks of being pregnant.
RFK Jr. has additionally expressed left-wing views on government-funded healthcare, telling the favored podcast “Breaking Factors” in Could 2023: “My highest ambition could be to have a single-payer program the place individuals who wish to have personal packages can go forward and try this, however to have a single program that’s accessible to everyone.”
The septuagenarian’s well being was publicly questioned after he disclosed a parasitic worm had as soon as been present in his mind. His sanity was additionally queried after he admitted to leaving a useless bear in Central Park after choosing it up off the aspect of the highway in 2014.
Observe the most recent on President-elect Donald Trump’s cupboard alternatives:
However the greatest shock got here after Kennedy was discovered in September to have been partaking in a lewd sexting relationship with political reporter Olivia Nuzzi, who subsequently was relieved of her place at New York journal.
Kennedy endorsed Trump instantly upon ending his White Home bid, deploying the slogan “Make America Wholesome Once more.”
He additionally claimed Trump had promised him “management” of public well being businesses — however transition co-chair and Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick had insisted Kennedy wouldn’t be within the cupboard.
A minimum of one distinguished Democrat supported the Kennedy nomination, with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, floated as a attainable 2028 presidential contender, gushing on X that he was “excited by the information.”
“He helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and can assist make America wholesome once more by shaking up HHS and FDA,” Polis mentioned, latching on to the “MAHA” moniker.
“I hope he leans into private alternative on vaccines slightly than bans (which I feel are horrible, similar to mandates) however what I’m most optimistic about is taking over large pharma and the company ag oligopoly to enhance our well being.”
Polis additionally praised RFK Jr. for supporting caps on drug costs, calling for the FDA’s vitamin division to be abolished and backing the elimination of pesticides in agriculture.
“He’ll face sturdy particular curiosity opposition on these, however I stay up for partnering with him to actually make America wholesome once more and I hope that we are able to lastly make progress on these vital points,” Polis predicted.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who turned a detailed pal of RFK Jr. through the COVID-19 pandemic, advised The Publish he “couldn’t be happier.”
“He’s an excellent man, of excessive intelligence who fearlessly follows and exposes the reality the place it leads,” Johnson mentioned. “America will turn into a more healthy nation beneath his management.”
“Congratulations to @RobertKennedyJr on his nomination as Secretary of Well being and Human Companies. Lastly, somebody to detox the place after the [Anthony] Fauci period,” added libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). “Prepare for well being care freedom and MAHA!”
Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.), one other lawmaker-doctor who chairs the Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee celebrated Trump for tapping somebody who “has championed points like wholesome meals and the necessity for higher transparency in our public well being infrastructure.
“I look ahead,” Cassidy added on X, “to studying extra about his different coverage positions and the way they are going to help a conservative, pro-American agenda.”
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