Longtime conspiracy theorist and anti-vaccine opponent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now has President-elect Donald Trump's ear and is pushing for what he calls “making America healthy again.”
It's something of an unlikely alliance between the Kennedy scion, once a prominent environmental activist who pushed for the prosecution of climate change deniers, and a resurgent Republican leader.
However, what they all have in common is a deep distrust of the system. In the final stages of the campaign, President Trump announced that if RFK Jr. were to win, he would “play a huge role in the medical field.”
The announcement immediately sparked alarm, given President Kennedy's reputation as a notorious vaccine skeptic.
But until recently, Mr. Kennedy was a leading climate change lawyer and a candidate for former President Barack Obama's environment secretary.
Because of this, some experts say he is a complex figure and brings some valuable ideas to the table.
In recent days, he has sought to reassure his critics, telling NPR, “We're not going to take the vaccine away from anyone,” but added, “We're going to make sure the American people have good information.” “I'm going to do that,” he added ominously.
President Kennedy has been promoting vaccine conspiracy theories for two decades, especially regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, but ironically, that very vaccine was developed in record time under the first Trump administration.
The nephew of assassinated President John F. Kennedy received about 5 percent of the popular vote before withdrawing his support for Trump, much to the dismay of his family.
maha
Since then, the two have promoted the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, a play on President Trump's “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan, and successfully approached Vice President Kamala Harris for the position. It is reported that he did not.
His mission is to “transform our nation's food, fitness, air, water, soil and health care,” he said in the video, his voice unsteady due to a neurological condition.
“Our first priority is to clean up our public health agencies,” he declared, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, among others.
“These government agencies have become puppets of the industries they are supposed to regulate,” the 70-year-old said, echoing a common progressive criticism.
In X, “If you work at the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Save your records, and 2. Pack your bags.”
He also caused controversy by suggesting he would stop adding fluoride to tap water to prevent tooth decay, which the CDC considers one of the top 10 health outcomes of the 20th century.
Cabinet position?
Will he serve as an advisor or health secretary? Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, allowing Cabinet approval.
President Trump said at a recent rally that Kennedy, who was arrested protesting the Keystone XL pipeline, would not be involved in his “drill, baby, drill” policy.
But Trump said he was responsible for “women's health,” in a statement that infuriated Democrats already frustrated with Republican-led abortion regulations.
However, RFK Jr.'s position on reproductive rights is not easily categorized. This spring, he defended a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy at any stage, saying, “At the end of the day, I don't believe the government has jurisdiction over people's bodies.” .
He later revised his position and supported a ban around 24 weeks, which would require a ban beyond the life of the fetus. The cap was set by a Supreme Court ruling that remained influential for half a century until it was overturned in 2022 by a judge appointed by President Trump.
healthy eating
Kennedy will also address the nation's food health, an interesting challenge given President Trump's well-known love of McDonald's.
President Kennedy said America must end the epidemic of chronic diseases, with a particular focus on obesity. However, he is also a fan of raw milk, which health experts strongly discourage.
In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, President Kennedy called for drastic reductions in prescription drug prices, citing the diabetes drug Ozempic. The issue was championed by left-wing Sen. Bernie Sanders.
He also proposed preventing food stamp recipients from purchasing soda and ultra-processed foods, a policy “that I've been advocating for for the past 15 years,” said the former CDC director under Obama. Tom Frieden said on StatNews.
While Frieden agrees with Kennedy's focus on chronic disease, he remains wary. “MAHA, which combines sound science, pseudoscience, and profiteering by so-called 'wellness' companies, is not the answer.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
