Donald Trump has chosen vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr as his new health secretary, putting him in charge of an agency that oversees drug, food and vaccine safety, and programmes including Medicare.
The news was announced by Donald Trump Jr on X, before the president-elect confirmed the appointment just moments later.
Former Democrat RFK Jr, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy, had been running as an independent presidential candidate but dropped out of the race and endorsed Mr Trump in August.
In return for Mr Kennedy’s support during the election, President-elect Trump pledged to give him a role.
Mr Trump Jr wrote on X: “Robert F Kennedy Jr will be The Secretary of Health and Human Services! Promises Made Promises Kept.”
The health department includes the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Medicare, Medicaid and the National Institutes of Health.
RFK Jr 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,” the president-elect wrote on X.
Mr Trump said: “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.”
The RFK Jr-led health department 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,” he added.
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Who is Robert F Kennedy Jr?
RFK Jr’s position will need to be confirmed with a Senate vote – but even with the chamber under Republican control, he may encounter a struggle to land enough support.
Mr Kennedy is a known vaccine sceptic who has repeated misinformation on multiple occasions, including the discredited theory that childhood immunisations cause autism.
He has also claimed Mr Trump will push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office. The addition of the compound has been cited as helping to improve dental health.
The health and human services (HHS) department RKF Jr is hoping to oversee has more than 80,000 employees across the United States.
