President-elect Donald Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, in a choice that would join Trump’s list of provocative picks whose confirmation processes will test the loyalty of Senate Republicans.
The source said Kennedy accepted the offer on Thursday, and several other sources confirmed to CNN that Trump could announce the pick later in the day. Kennedy was in Palm Beach for several days after the election.
O was the first to report the selection.
The move is notable given that just days before the election, Trump’s transition co-chair Howard Lutnick told CNN that Kennedy was “not getting a place at HHS.”
“Wouldn’t he be in charge of HHS?”, he was asked on the program ‘The Source with Kaitlan Collins’.
“No,” said Lutnick, “of course not.”
This response triggered an internal turmoil in Trump’s orbit, which made it clear to Kennedy that he would be the one to make the final decisions.
Kennedy has been one of the country’s most prominent anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists for years, having frequently spread false conspiracy theories about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
He launched his own presidential bid last year — first as President Joe Biden’s Democratic opponent, then as an independent — centered largely on reversing the “chronic disease epidemic.” He has proposed numerous policies aimed at revising food safety and environmental guidelines, promoting holistic medicines, and restructuring public funding for vaccine research.
In the final days of Kennedy’s campaign, he met with Trump on several occasions, where the two discussed the possibility of him supporting Trump in exchange for a role in his administration. Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and endorsed Trump that same day.
In October, Trump teased Kennedy with the possibility of overseeing a public health portfolio while speaking at a rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden, telling the audience that he would let Kennedy “move forward on health,” “move forward on food” and “move forward with medicines”, if he were re-elected.
Since Election Day, Kennedy has committed to taking important steps to overhaul the nation’s public health guidelines. Last week, Kennedy said he would “immediately” begin studying the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, but promised not to “take vaccines away from anyone.” He also committed to formally recommending that states and municipalities remove fluoride from public water.
In the final days of Kennedy’s campaign, he met with Trump on several occasions, where the two discussed the possibility of him supporting Trump in exchange for a role in his administration. Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and endorsed Trump that same day.
In October, Trump teased Kennedy with the possibility of overseeing a public health portfolio while speaking at a rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden, telling the audience that he would let Kennedy “move forward on health,” “move forward on food” and “move forward with medicines”, if he were re-elected.
Since Election Day, Kennedy has committed to taking important steps to overhaul the nation’s public health guidelines. Last week, Kennedy said he would “immediately” begin studying the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, but promised not to “take vaccines away from anyone.” He also committed to formally recommending that states and municipalities remove fluoride from public water.
