Washington – President-elect Donald Trump said in a social media post Thursday that he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),” he said in a post on X. He said Americans have been “crushed by the industrial food complex and pharmaceutical companies.” who engaged in deception, misinformation and disinformation about public health, and that Kennedy would “make America great and healthy again!”
Kennedy has a long record of criticizing vaccinesincluding spread misleading claims About their safety.
he has vowed to fight There is an “epidemic” of chronic diseases and he believes that big pharmaceutical and food companies are to blame for widespread diseases. Kennedy has claimed that federal inaction has worsened many health problems, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sleep disorders, infertility rates, diabetes, and obesity. He has also requested fluoride removal From drinking water.
Kennedy would need confirmation by the Senate. Given his long record of being called out by the party, his chances of clearing a Democrat-led Senate may have been slim. “Anti-science, marginalizing public health stances,” but with this Republicans in majority Come January, the path to confirmation will become easier for Trump's nominees.
Despite expected opposition to Kennedy's nomination – along with others controversial Option To lead national security agencies and former Florida Rep. matt getz To lead the Justice Department — Trump has told aides in recent days that he is standing by his choice for the health chief.
“No one can talk about him,” one of the sources familiar with the selection said Thursday.
Trump had promised to allow Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic and former environmental lawyer, during the campaign. “go wild” On issues related to health, food and medicine.
“I'll let them run wild on health. I'll let them run wild on food. I'll let them run wild on medicine,” Trump said in the final days before the election. “The only thing I don't think I'll let get even close to me is the liquid gold that's beneath our feet… sometimes called oil and gas.”
As co-chairman of Trump's transformationKennedy is vetting a list of staffers who could fill top positions in the Trump administration. He has said that he expects “every nutrition scientist” at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture to be “fired on the first day.”
Kennedy, who faced an expensive and time-consuming process to appear on general election ballots as an independent candidate, His long-running bid for the White House has ended in August and endorsed Trump.
Kennedy said there were three issues that persuaded him to support Trump: free speech, the war in Ukraine and what he called “the war on our children.” He said processed foods, chemicals and obesity are destroying the health of children in America
At an August rally with Kennedy, Trump vowed to establish a panel to investigate chronic health problems and childhood illnesses, as well as establish an independent presidential commission on assassination attempts, related to President John F. The work of issuing all the remaining documents will be handed over. Kennedy's assassination. Kennedy is the nephew of the late President and the son of the late senator, attorney general and presidential candidate. Robert F. Kennedy.
