President-elect Donald Trump announced on Friday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sharing the news on X, Trump wrote, “I’m excited to introduce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services for the United States.
“He continued, “For too long, the American public has suffered under an industrial food system and pharmaceutical companies that have misled and misinformed the public about health matters. The safety and well-being of Americans is a top priority, and HHS will play a central role in ensuring protection from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and food additives contributing to the nation’s health crisis.”
“Mr. Kennedy will restore these agencies as beacons of transparency and excellence in scientific research, aiming to end the epidemic of chronic disease and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Trump added.
Who is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known figure in anti-vaccine advocacy, comes from one of America’s most famous political families. He is the son of the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew to President John F. Kennedy. Initially, Kennedy challenged President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination but then launched an independent campaign. This summer, however, he ended that effort after reaching an agreement to support Trump in exchange for a significant health policy position.
Kennedy and Trump have developed a strong alliance, working closely together in the campaign’s final stages. Trump had already signaled he would give Kennedy a significant public health role in his administration.
Kennedy has been outspoken in his criticism of processed foods and herbicides, such as Roundup, as well as large-scale commercial farming practices. However, he is best known for his anti-vaccine stance. He has consistently opposed vaccines, stating in a podcast this past July that “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective” and reiterating in a Fox News interview his belief that vaccines could be linked to autism, despite widespread scientific evidence disproving this notion.
