Trump taps Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Department of Health and Human Services
Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
- Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
- The president-elect previously vowed to let Kennedy "go wild on health."
- Kennedy, 70, is a vaccine skeptic who supports removing fluoride from water supplies.
Trump has nominated former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, likely sparking a confirmation battle in the Senate.
"I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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.
The president-elect previously vowed to let Kennedy "go wild on health."
Kennedy, 70, is a vaccine skeptic who supports removing fluoride from water supplies and promoting products like raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration has cautioned against.
Stock prices for Pfizer and Moderna dropped after the announcement in after-hours trading.
Kennedy has said that he wants to fire some nutritionists at the health agency and overhaul federal food regulations, setting off alarm bells among public health experts. Yet his eclectic views occasionally cut across party lines — his desire to cut ultra-processed food from school lunches, for example, was an Obama-era priority as well.
Despite once running against Trump this cycle, Kennedy dropped out and endorsed the president-elect in August, which sources said was an effort to secure a job in the administration. The two spearheaded a "Make America Healthy Again" campaign.
The head of HHS requires Senate approval and Kennedy could have an upward battle ahead of him, Semafor reported.
Representatives for Trump and Kennedy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.