President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the next secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services.
This selection adds to the list of controversial figures Trump has chosen, setting the stage for challenging confirmation hearings in the Senate.
On Thursday, Trump confirmed the appointment, expressing his excitement about the announcement.
“The safety and health of all Americans are the most important roles of any administration, and HHS will play a big role in ensuring that everyone is protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming health crisis in this country,” Trump said in a post on X.
“Mr. Kennedy will restore these agencies to the traditions of gold standard scientific research and beacons of transparency, to end the chronic disease epidemic, and to make America great and healthy again,” Trump added.
Kennedy, accepting the role on Thursday, is known for his high-profile stance against vaccines and his propagation of vaccine conspiracy theories over the years. He has spent several days in Palm Beach, Florida, following the election.
In his statement on Thursday, Kennedy highlighted his commitment to cleanse the department of corruption and to ensure transparency, allowing Americans to make informed health decisions.
“I look forward to working with the more than 80,000 employees at HHS to free the agencies from the smothering cloud of corporate capture so they can pursue their mission to make Americans once again the healthiest people on Earth,” Kennedy said.
If confirmed, Kennedy would manage the operations of major health programs like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid.
While Trump has shifted from his initial stance to repeal Obamacare entirely, the administration’s plans to amend the law as promised during the campaign remain uncertain.
Kennedy would also play a role in potential modifications to Medicaid, a program that provides health coverage to low-income Americans, as proposed by Trump and Republican legislators.
During Trump’s first term, the agency faced legal hurdles with its attempts to implement work requirements for Medicaid and reductions in funding were unsuccessful.
The program, serving nearly 72.5 million Americans, may be targeted for cuts in Trump’s second term as Republicans look to find savings to support tax cuts.
Kennedy’s nomination, initially revealed by Politico, comes as a surprise since Trump’s transition co-chair Howard Lutnick had informed CNN just before the election that Kennedy would not be appointed.
During an interview on “The Source with Kaitlan Collins,” when asked if Kennedy would lead HHS, Lutnick responded, “No, of course not.”
This caused a stir within Trump’s circle, with Trump later reaffirming to Kennedy that he would make the final decision.
Kennedy, previously a presidential candidate against Joe Biden and later as an independent, focused his campaign on reversing the chronic disease epidemic with policies to improve food safety and environmental standards, and promote alternative medicines.
In the final stretch of his campaign, Kennedy discussed the potential of endorsing Trump for a role in his administration, ultimately suspending his campaign in August to endorse Trump.
In October, at a rally in Madison Square Garden, Trump hinted that Kennedy would handle a significant public health role, encouraging him to “go wild on health, food, and medicines.”
Following the announcement on Thursday, stock prices of major vaccine manufacturers dropped sharply.
Since Election Day, Kennedy has vowed to overhaul public health guidelines, promising immediate reviews of vaccine safety and efficacy but clarified he would not remove vaccine access.
He also advocated for the removal of fluoride from public water systems and suggested significant staffing changes within public health agencies.
In an interview with MSNBC, Kennedy expressed intentions to reduce staff in the nutrition departments of the FDA and suggested replacing 600 NIH officials with his selections.
“President Trump has given me three instructions,” Kennedy said. “He wants the corruption and the conflicts out of the regulatory agencies.”
“He wants to return the agencies to the gold standard, empirically-based, evidence-based, science and medicine that they were once famous for. And he wants to end the chronic disease epidemic with measurable impacts on a reduction of chronic disease within two years.”
