President-elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday via Twitter that he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, who initially launched a third-party bid for the White House, ended his campaign in August to endorse Trump and join his team.
Trump praised Kennedy as the “Make America Great and Healthy Again” candidate, stating that he will restore federal health agencies to “the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic.”
“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,” 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.
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…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024
Robert F Kennedy Jr will be The Secretary of Health and Human Services!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 14, 2024
Promises Made Promises Kept 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1JLHTbunD6
As part of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, Kennedy has expressed a desire to address the rising rate of chronic diseases affecting roughly three in five Americans, improve the public’s nutrition, and combat the increasing trend of obesity in adults. Kennedy previously mentioned that, under his leadership, “entire departments” within the Food and Drug Administration could be cut.
“In some categories… entire departments, like the nutrition department of the FDA that have to go, that are not doing their job, they’re not protecting our kids,” Kennedy told an MSNBC reporter. “Why do we have Fruit Loops that have 18 or 19 ingredients and you go to Canada and it’s got two or three?”
“To eliminate agencies, as long as it requires Congressional approval, I wouldn’t be doing that,” he later clarified. “I can get the corruption out of the agencies, that’s what I’ve been doing for 40 years. I’ve sued all those agencies, I have a Ph.D. in corporate corruption and that’s what I do, and once they’re not corrupt, once Americans are getting good science and are allowed to make their own choices, they’re going to get a lot healthier.”
