Trump Picks Vaccine Skeptic RFK Jr. to Lead Health Department

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services by President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump has already offered the job of Secretary of the HHS to Kennedy, he announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

"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," wrote the President-elect.

"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 continued.

Trump last month told supporters he would let Kennedy, a noted vaccine skeptic who has called for the removal of fluoride from the US water supply, "go wild on health" and food policy under his administration.

In August of this year, RFK Jr. dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, in which he was running as an Independent, and endorsed Trump, who ultimately emerged victorious on election day. Since Trump's election, it has been anticipated that RFK Jr. would be offered a role in the White House.

Last week, RFK Jr. stated that he believed entire departments of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), such as the nutrition department, were obsolete and should be dissolved in an interview with MSNBC, creating concerns about what he might do if given a top health official position.

Kennedy stated that Trump had already promised him a role in the White House if he were to be re-elected, according to The Hill.

However, member of the Trump administration's transition team denied these allegations.

"He's not getting a job for HHS," said Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick told CNN.

"We don't know what I'm going to do. I talked to the president about it yesterday, and he asked me what I wanted, and I said, we're developing a proposal now," said Kennedy to Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum when she asked if he was going to be the next Health and Human Services secretary.

"I can get the corruption out of the agencies," he added.

Last year, RFK Jr. stated his belief that "there's no vaccine that is safe and effective" in an interview with FOX News.

"I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, better not get them vaccinated," Kennedy said in a 2021 podcast.