RFK Jr. Confirmed as Health Secretary
On Thursday, February 13, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the Secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. is a scion of the famous Kennedy family; the son of the late Attorney General RFK Sr. and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. As a longtime environmental lawyer, RFK Jr. has decried what he calls a “chronic disease epidemic” in our country, which he blames (in part) on unsafe chemicals in our food and environment.
RFK Jr. was a candidate in the 2024 presidential race, first running in the Democratic primary against Biden before launching an Independent candidacy. Kennedy ended up suspending his campaign in August 2024 to form an alliance with Donald Trump, who incorporated Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” mission into his broader MAGA agenda. Many people credit Kennedy’s support with helping to push Trump over the top in November’s election.
Trump’s elevation of RFK Jr. to HHS Secretary fulfilled a campaign promise to put Kennedy into a position of leadership on public health. It puts him in change of agencies like the CDC, FDA, and NIH, which Kennedy has criticized in the past and accused of being corrupted by Big Pharma.
Not everyone is a fan of Bobby Kennedy taking this role. He has made controversial statements in the past and is described by some as a conspiracy theorist. In particular, many senators were concerned that he questioned the safety of certain vaccines for young children. Kennedy assuaged those worries somewhat by telling senators that he would not restrict people’s access to vaccines, but rather promote rigorous testing and greater transparency to help people make informed decisions.
