President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He vowed that the vaccine sceptic will tackle the “chronic disease epidemic” facing the United States.
In a rare use of his X account, Trump announced the nomination on Wednesday, stating that Kennedy would lead efforts to protect Americans from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, and pharmaceutical products. Trump emphasised that Kennedy would restore HHS to the “traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research” and provide “beacons of Transparency” to help address the country’s health crisis.
“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to public health,” Trump said in his statement. He promised that Kennedy would take a bold approach to public health, ultimately making America “great and healthy again.”
Kennedy, 70, has strongly supported Trump since suspending his independent presidential campaign in August. He was an honorary chair of Trump’s transition team and had been lobbying for the HHS position. According to sources, Kennedy had aggressively pursued the role while others, including neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, expressed interest in leading the department.
Kennedy’s nomination will face a contentious confirmation process in the Senate, with Republicans holding a 53-vote majority. Kennedy’s vocal opposition to childhood vaccinations has already drawn significant scrutiny, with many anticipating a challenging path to confirmation.
Kennedy, the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, ran for president in 2024, first as a Democrat and later as an independent, where he criticised the pharmaceutical industry, the food sector, and the overall state of American health. He and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, expressed scepticism about vaccines and their effects on the body, raising concerns among both public health experts and some lawmakers.
The health activist’s personal health history has also raised questions. Kennedy revealed in 2019 that a parasitic worm had been found in his brain.
Additionally, his mental stability has been questioned following an odd 2014 incident in which he left a dead bear in Central Park after picking it up off the side of the road. Perhaps most controversially, Kennedy was involved in a sexting scandal with political reporter Olivia Nuzzi, which led to Nuzzi’s departure from ‘New York Magazine,’.
Despite these controversies, Kennedy ended his presidential campaign in August and endorsed Trump, coining the slogan “Make America Healthy Again.” Trump has reportedly promised Kennedy “control” over public health agencies. However, transition co-chair Howard Lutnick had previously said Kennedy would not be in the cabinet, signalling potential tensions in the Trump transition team over the pick.
Republican lawmakers have expressed support for Kennedy’s nomination. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) praised Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence nominee, as “outside-the-box” choices who would challenge the status quo. “It’s fascinating, and I think it represents a huge change — and an opportunity for our federal health agencies to root out corruption,” one senior GOP staffer told *The Post*.
Kennedy’s nomination to head HHS has sparked a debate over his controversial positions and past actions. While Trump’s supporters see the nomination as a necessary shake-up of Washington, others worry that Kennedy’s views on vaccines and public health could hinder his ability to lead the department effectively. As the confirmation process unfolds, Kennedy’s tenure at HHS will likely remain highly debated.
