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Jimmy Williams
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed this week that former President Donald Trump has pledged him control over major U.S. public health agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), if he wins the 2024 election.
Kennedy’s statements, made during a Zoom call with supporters, suggest he would oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under a Trump administration.
“The key, which President Trump has promised me, is control of the public health agencies,” Kennedy said during the call, adding that his focus would be on transitioning American agriculture away from pesticides and seed oils toward regenerative practices. Kennedy, a long-standing anti-vaccine advocate and founder of the Children’s Health Defense, has frequently criticized public health initiatives, including vaccinations, sparking concerns among medical experts about his potential influence in government.
Trump’s former Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, voiced serious concerns about Kennedy’s possible role in shaping health policy, cautioning that his involvement could further deter Americans from getting vaccinated and undermine public health efforts. “If RFK has a significant influence on the next administration, that could further erode people’s willingness to get up to date with recommended vaccines,” Adams said at a recent public health conference, as reported by The New York Times’ Sheryl Gay Stolberg. “I am worried about the impact that could have on our nation’s health, on our nation’s economy, on our global security.”
Trump has made several references to Kennedy’s potential involvement in his administration’s health efforts, emphasizing Kennedy’s anti-pharmaceutical industry stance and commitment to addressing chronic illness. Last week in Las Vegas, Trump said he was “committed to letting Bobby work on health,” but playfully expressed hesitation regarding Kennedy’s environmental views. “I don’t know if I want him playing around with our liquid gold under our feet,” Trump joked, indicating that while he supports Kennedy’s health initiatives, he’s wary of the environmental policies Kennedy might pursue.
Trump first mentioned Kennedy as a possible leader of his health initiatives at the Al Smith Dinner earlier this month. “He believes in a healthier America,” Trump said at the event, adding that he might have to “reign [Kennedy] back a bit.” Trump reiterated his support for Kennedy’s vision for health reform, describing him as a “good man” who is passionate about improving food quality and tackling chronic disease.
Although Trump’s campaign hasn’t made any formal announcements regarding Cabinet appointments, the campaign confirmed that Trump plans to work with Kennedy to “Make America Healthy Again,” as stated by Trump Campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump will also establish a special Presidential Commission of independent minds and will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic illnesses,” Leavitt added in a statement to ABC News.
Kennedy, who ended his independent presidential campaign in August and threw his support behind Trump, has faced criticism from medical professionals for promoting anti-vaccine rhetoric. His outspoken stance against vaccines and public health mandates, along with his proposed reforms to public health policy, have led to heightened scrutiny over his potential role in a Trump administration.
The possible inclusion of Kennedy in a senior health role could shift longstanding federal policies on vaccination and public health safety, marking a departure from traditional public health protocols that many medical experts find concerning. As the election draws near, Kennedy’s remarks underscore the growing alliance between the anti-establishment figure and the former president, signaling a potential shake-up in U.S. public health leadership.
