Donald Trump picks anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as US health secretary

Trump posted on X, "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.

"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."

"Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!"

Thanking the President-elect for the nomination, Kennedy wrote on X, "I look forward to working with the more than 80,000 employees at HHS to free the agencies from the smothering cloud of corporate capture so they can pursue their mission to make Americans once again the healthiest people on Earth.

"Together we will clean up corruption, stop the revolving door between industry and government, and return our health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science. I will provide Americans with transparency and access to all the data so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families."

'Clear and present danger to the nation's health'

Slamming the nomination, progressive non-profit organisation Public Citizen said as quoted by The Guardian, "Robert F Kennedy Jr is a clear and present danger to the nation’s health. He shouldn’t be allowed in the building at the department of health and human services (HHS), let alone be placed in charge of the nation’s public health agency."

"Donald Trump’s bungling of public health policy during the Covid pandemic cost hundreds of thousands of lives. By appointing Kennedy as his secretary of HHS, Trump is courting another, policy-driven public health catastrophe."

Apu Akkad, an infectious disease physician, wrote on X, "Scary day for public health. Im saying this over and over — but it will be of the utmost importance to ONLY make public health decisions or changes based on robust evidence. I hope we have at least learned this much from covid."

Who is Robert F. Kennedy?

Kennedy, 70, is an American politician, environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist. He is the son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy.

As an environmental lawyer, he contested and won legal battles against several large corporations.

He founded the non-profit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999. He served as its board president until 2020.

From 2005, Kennedy Jr. campaigned against vaccines and promoted conspiracy theories. He even claimed a link between vaccines and autism.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in one of his campaigns for Donald Trump | Photo courtesy: Robert F Kennedy Jr. X handle

"There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective," Kennedy Jr. had once said, though he claims not to be anti-vaccine.

After Covid-19 broke out in 2020, Kennedy Jr. spread misinformation about vaccines and targeted prominent figures like Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, Joe Biden.

He wrote a number of books including The Real Anthony Fauci and A Letter to Liberals.