robert f kennedy jr Now a short list is being floated by some of Trump's allies, including many people close to him, to serve as the next head of the Department of Health and Human Services. President-Elect Called a campaign.
Hopes among Kennedy's supporters that he could be nominated to lead the department have grown in recent days after the Republican made his case. majority in the senate,
Kennedy would have been less likely to approve a Democrat-led Senate, given the party's long record of going against what it said. “Anti-science, marginalizing public health stance” That angered Trump's opponents and a wide range of health experts during the campaign.
This includes a comment that “there is no vaccine that is safe and effective” and his chairmanship of the Children's Health Defense Group, which claimed that “it is difficult to ignore the parallels between rising disease rates and the increasing number of childhood vaccines.” Doctors argue that such statements mislead about the safety of vaccinations and threaten to destroy hard-won reforms in the US. vaccination rates Against preventable diseases.
When Kennedy was asked publicly about the possibility that he might be selected to lead the vast umbrella of HHS agencies, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Food and If drugs are involved, he did not show any commitment. Administration.
Before the election, Kennedy told Fox News was “confident that if I were to become HHS Secretary, the President would work hard to make it happen,” but also said he was unsure whether it would be the “most effective” role for him.
In a CNN interview last month, Trump transition co-chairman Howard Lutnick was asked if Kennedy would be in charge of HHS.
“Absolutely not,” he replied,
But two people close to the campaign say the election results played a big role in changing thinking about whether Kennedy can clear a difficult and often painful Senate confirmation process that could vex candidates.
Kennedy's supporters argue that the election provides a mandate not only for Trump's platform but also for Kennedy and his “Make America Healthy Again” proposals to combat chronic disease, citing Kennedy's votes in favor of Trump. Giving.
As an example, beginning podcast host Joe Rogan expressed support Kennedy and his views before later supporting Trump.
“We haven't decided yet what that strategy will be, but it's a possibility,” Kennedy told NPR. Interview After the election, he was asked if he would be nominated for Senate-confirmed office.
On the question of whether Kennedy is now in serious contention for the role of HHS secretary, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt said in a statement that Americans “re-elected Trump by a large margin because they trust his judgment.” And support his policies, including his promise.” “To build America back together with respected leaders like RFK Jr.”
Other potential HHS secretary picks
However, Kennedy is not the only name that has been put forward by Republicans for the top post at HHS.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested On Wednesday his top health official, the state surgeon general Dr. Joseph LadapoCan be a candidate. under ladapoThe state health department has warned some Against getting COVID-19 booster shots, citing claims that were criticized by federal health officials and outside experts unproven or misleading,
Other names suggested by Trump allies in Washington include the former governor of Louisiana. Bobby Jindal and former Deputy HHS Secretary Eric HarganJoe supporters feel can be effective because he knows how to control the department's bureaucracy.
But people close to the campaign say few Trump surrogates and supporters have spent as much time with the president-elect as Kennedy or have crafted an ambitious agenda.
In the final stages of the mission, the two flew together for hours. Kennedy was also in Florida after the election, talking with the president-elect's top ranking people to consider possible candidates to fill the administration.
“He's going to help make America healthy again. And he's a great guy and he really does that. He wants to do some things and we'll let him do it,” Trump said. Said Wednesday morning after the election.
Trump had previously said that he had been friends with Kennedy “for a long time” and would give him “the go-ahead” on many of his policy priorities, including curbing fossil fuels.
“I'm going to let him go wild in terms of health. I'm going to let him go wild in terms of food. I'm going to let him go wild in terms of medications. The only thing I don't think I can do is “He's going to let us get even close to the liquid gold beneath our feet,” Trump said. Said On October 27 in New York.
Kennedy's “Make America Healthy Again” platform
Kennedy's nomination would come at a critical time for many of the issues on which he campaigned, which he says is based on “The chronic disease crisis.”
Kennedy has accused the FDA of “aggressive suppression” of a range of products psychedelic – after mdma failed to receive agency approval earlier this year – and raw milkwhich the authorities have discouraged Amid the ongoing outbreak of bird flu on dairy farms.
Other proposals include restricting pharmaceutical advertising and rewriting laws that currently rely on paying fees to drug manufacturers for most FDA approvals. Before the election, he warned FDA officials who are “part of this corrupt system” to “pack your bags.”
In the days before the election, Kennedy said Trump had asked him to “root out corruption and conflicts of interest” in agencies that oversee drugs and vaccines, “restore transparency” and “hide the science.” “Promised to stop.
Kennedy said, “He doesn't want me to take the vaccine away from people. If you want to get the vaccine, you should be able to get it. We believe in free choice in this country.” Comment Posted on November 2.
his call to stop water fluoridation It comes as the Environmental Protection Agency is now facing court order To take action against this practice.
That decision was partly driven by a Review The finding, released earlier this year by the NIH, examines the risk of lowering children's IQ, and comes as critics have called on the CDC to revise it. statement Support of fluoridation. The NIH review found that fluoride concentrations above recommended levels in drinking water were associated with lower IQ in children, but more studies were needed on the effects of lower concentrations of fluoride.
But if he became HHS Secretary, some of Kennedy's objectives would fall outside his jurisdiction, such as US Department of AgricultureOther responsibilities under the broader HHS umbrella could consume much of Kennedy's time, some aides worry, distracting from his priorities.
Longtime Dr. Robert Malone said, “Bobby is very task-oriented, brilliant, an excellent communicator, he has a great sense of details and he is a transformational leader. He is not like that, his skillset are those of a bureaucratic administrator. Not in form.” Kennedy's aide who was with him and Trump on election night.
Malone said he had spoken with several colleagues from “at least four different HHS transition teams” under Trump in recent weeks about the future of the department, but not with Kennedy personally.
He said he thought Kennedy would probably do better in a role in the White House, serving as a czar who could target specific issues in different departments.
“Make no mistake, what is being discussed is a major reimagining of the entire federal health research and promotion and protection infrastructure. It involves very significant reforms and changes in business practices,” Malone said.