President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, with a commitment to addressing what he calls the “chronic disease epidemic.”
Known for his skepticism about vaccines, Kennedy, 70, has been a strong supporter of Trump since ending his independent presidential bid in August.
Trump had hinted that he would allow Kennedy to spearhead public health reforms if he won the election.
Despite his opposition to routine childhood vaccinations, Kennedy reassured the public shortly after Trump’s victory that he would not attempt to eliminate vaccines.
“If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away. People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information,” he told NBC News on Nov. 6, adding that he would prioritize transparency and rigorous scientific review to allow people to make their own health decisions.
Kennedy, known for other controversial views, has also questioned the safety of fluoride in water supplies, although this area is primarily under state and local control, limiting his influence.
Reactions to the nomination have been polarizing. A Senate Republican source expressed doubt about Kennedy’s chances of Senate confirmation, remarking, “RFK has as much chance of getting confirmed by the Senate as he does of taking a vaccine shot.” This sentiment reflects the skepticism that many senators may have about Kennedy’s stance on public health.
In announcing the nomination, Trump criticized the influence of the pharmaceutical and food industries on public health, asserting that “Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation.”
Trump described Kennedy as a figure who would restore “Gold Standard Scientific Research” and transparency within health agencies, aiming to end the “chronic disease epidemic” and to “Make America Great and Healthy Again.”
The announcement comes after Politico reported that Kennedy was actively seeking the HHS role while some allies had encouraged him to consider a more advisory position.
Notably, Dr. Ben Carson, who served as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in Trump’s first term, had also reportedly been vying for the position.
Kennedy, son of the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, will require a simple Senate majority for confirmation.
Although Republicans hold 53 seats in the incoming Congress, Kennedy’s vocal views on vaccines and public health are expected to make his confirmation contentious.
Kennedy’s bid for the presidency in 2024, first as a Democrat and later as an independent, brought him further into the public eye for his critiques of Big Pharma and the food industry.
Alongside running mate Nicole Shanahan, he championed greater health autonomy and questioned certain vaccines.
Some of his public statements, such as his disclosure of a parasitic infection in his brain and an anecdote involving a dead bear, have raised eyebrows about his fitness for office.
Kennedy quickly endorsed Trump after suspending his campaign, coining the slogan “Make America Healthy Again” and claiming that Trump had promised him authority over key public health agencies.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a prominent Democrat, expressed support for Kennedy’s nomination, citing Kennedy’s stance against vaccine mandates and Big Pharma. “He will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA,” Polis wrote, echoing the “MAHA” slogan.
Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Rand Paul (R-KY), both of whom share Kennedy’s views on certain health policies, also voiced support.
Johnson described Kennedy as a “fearless” truth-seeker, while Paul welcomed him as a reformer post-Fauci era, proclaiming, “Get ready for health care freedom and MAHA!”
Texas Rep. Chip Roy praised Kennedy as a “great disruptor,” stating, “We need to root out the bureaucracy, beat back the insurance companies, the Pharma companies, the big hospital corporations… and stop the mandates.”
Kennedy’s nomination represents Trump’s broader commitment to overhaul health policies, with a sharp focus on health freedom, reform, and corporate accountability in public health.