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Donald Trump has settled on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) as his Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The President-Elect himself announced his pick in an X post shared on Thursday, November 14, 2024, writing:
"I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). 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."
If approved by the Senate, then Kennedy Jr. would be responsible for food safety, medical research, and welfare programs like Obamacare. He would also oversee agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Make America Great and Healthy Again!"- Donald Trump on RFK Jr. nomination
In his X post, Trump wrote:
"The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country."
He added that Kennedy Jr. would restore all the agencies falling under his department to their "gold standard scientific research." Trump stated that he would make them into "beacons of transparency" that would put an end to "the chronic disease epidemic." He concluded:
"Make America Great and Healthy Again!"
According to Ballotpedia, the Department of Health and Human Services was established in 1979 (It was formed as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) in 1953). According to HHS's website, the department and its secretary's mission is to:
"Enhance the health and well-being of all Americans, by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services."
The department is headed by the Secretary, the post that Trump nominated RFK Jr. for. According to HHS's website, the Secretary oversees all 13 of its agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), among others.
Per Ballotpedia, some of the important responsibilities of a secretary of HHS include supervising the department's budget and its employees and directing staff in carrying out the approved programs and activities.
The secretary helps various agencies within the department administer its functions effectively and also facilitates collaboration with other federal departments, especially on high-priority issues. The secretary is responsible for helping people understand the department's goals and programs.
The HHS head also carries out new legislation that affects the health and welfare of all American citizens. Additionally, the secretary advises the president on what legislation should be signed and how the said legislation will be provided to the department's agencies.
"We have a generational opportunity"- RFK Jr. accepted his nomination and thanked Trump in av X post
RFK Jr.'s nomination is controversial as he has previously come under scrutiny for spreading misinformation in the past. According to a December 2021 report by AP News during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was one of the leading sources of misinformation about the virus and vaccines.
The same year, the Center for Countering Digital Hate named Kennedy on their list of the Disinformation Dozen. It added that his company, Children’s Health Defense, was the top source of false information about vaccines. In a July 2023 interview with Fox News, he asserted that "autism comes from vaccines."
Following Trump's announcement, RFK Jr. took to his X to accept his nomination. He stated that he would "clean up corruption," bring back the "tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science," and provide "transparency and access to all the data." He promised to end "corporate capture," adding:
"We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic."
In addition to RFK Jr., Trump announced nominating Doug Collins as Secretary of Veterans Affairs (former Georgia senator) and Todd Blanche as Deputy Attorney General (his lawyer during the 2024 criminal trial). Additionally, he announced selecting Dean John Sauer, Solicitor General during his trial, to be in charge of supervising and conducting government litigation in the Supreme Court.
