President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly nominate campaign surrogate and former Democrat Robert Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary.
"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," Trump released in a statement Thursday. "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!"
Donald Trump Jr. also confirmed the news on X.
Robert F Kennedy Jr will be The Secretary of Health and Human Services!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 14, 2024
Promises Made Promises Kept 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1JLHTbunD6
During his own presidential campaign against President Joe Biden earlier this year and as a backer of former President Donald Trump, Kennedy has vowed to take on Big Pharma and corruption fueling the health crisis in America.
From The Hill:
One of the most remarkable aspects of the populist alliance between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump is that it puts the incoming Republican administration at loggerheads with the very Big Pharma, Big Food and Big Agricultural interests that have been traditional bastions of Republican support.
President-elect Trump’s pledge to “let Bobby go wild” on his Make America Healthy Again agenda has corporate lobbyists in these industries convening emergency conference calls and burning the midnight oil to stop Kennedy in his tracks.
I will get the corruption out of our government agencies and Make America Healthy Again. This is what I've been doing for 40 years. pic.twitter.com/1cjNC5cu2G
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 7, 2024
This story has been updated.