Notorious vaccine skeptic | Donald Trump names Robert F. Kennedy Jr. secretary of health

(Washington) Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former vaccine skeptic lawyer known for spreading conspiracy theories, as Secretary of Health.

“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the food industry and pharmaceutical companies that have engaged in deception and misinformation when it comes to public health,” President-elect Donald Trump said on his social network Truth Social .

But under RFK Jr.’s leadership, the Health Department “will play a big role in ensuring that everyone is protected from the dangerous chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and food additives that have contributed to the “huge health crisis in this country,” he added.

According to the president-elect, American health agencies will “reconnect with the traditions of excellence in scientific research” and “return to a model of transparency” with the aim of “putting an end to the epidemic of chronic diseases and restoring its grandeur and health to America! “.

Donald Trump and former Democrat Robert Kennedy Jr., known for his vaccine sceptics, promised to “restore America to health”, first agreeing on one thing: their distrust of institutions . This nomination must still be confirmed by the Senate, which will have a Republican majority.

Nephew of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, “RFK” Junior was credited with around 5% of the vote as an independent candidate before withdrawing and supporting Donald Trump. Much to the dismay of other members of his famous family.

He, who has no scientific training, is known for spreading conspiracy theories, particularly about COVID-19 vaccines – the very ones developed in record time under the Trump administration.

Trying to reassure, the eccentric member of the Kennedy dynasty recently maintained in interviews that he “would not take away anyone’s vaccines.” While adding that he would ensure that “Americans are well informed” on the issue.

A colorful character, addicted to heroin in his youth, he recounted during the campaign having abandoned the corpse of a bear cub in Central Park in New York, and one day having to have a worm removed from his brain.

The announcement of his possible participation in the government had from the start aroused the concern of some.

But the respected former environmental lawyer, who litigated against Monsanto over the herbicide Roundup and fought against the construction of an oil pipeline, also has some good ideas, including taking on pesticides and obesity problem, experts pointed out.

“MAHA” movement

The two surprise allies are promoting a new movement called MAHA, “Make America Healthy again”, a slogan modeled on the Republican’s famous MAGA (“Make America Great again”).

The goal: to “transform” food, air, water, soil or even “the medicines of our country”, he proclaims in a video, in his voice which a neurological illness has made quavery. .

“Our main priority will be to clean up public health agencies”, those in charge of health recommendations (CDC), research (NIH), drugs (FDA), but also the American Department of Agriculture, adds -he.

They “have become puppets of the industries they are supposed to regulate,” says the septuagenarian, for whom the fight against “corruption” is an obsession.

To FDA employees “part of this system,” he advised: “keep your records” and “pack your boxes.”

Donald Trump, who loves fast food, also tasked him with supervising food.

We must “put an end to the epidemic of chronic diseases”, particularly obesity, insists Robert Kennedy Jr., also a fan of unpasteurized milk so feared by health agencies.

In a list of planned measures, published in September, he cites lowering the price of anti-diabetes drugs like Ozempic – also a pet of left-wing senator Bernie Sanders.

Or the idea of ​​preventing food stamps from being used to buy sodas or processed foods.

A measure “that I have defended for 15 years,” commented Tom Frieden, director of the CDC under Barack Obama. Before adding: if the fight against chronic diseases is appropriate, the “pseudo-science” of the MAHA movement “is not the solution”.

Fluor

The man nicknamed “Bobby” also caused controversy by declaring that he wanted to recommend stopping the addition of fluoride to running water, a measure intended to prevent cavities, which the CDC considers one of the ten biggest health success stories of the 20^e century.

During the campaign, Donald Trump finally declared that he would be responsible for “women’s health”

On this issue, “RFK” had contradictory positions. He recently defended the idea that women should be able to abort their entire pregnancy, not trusting “the government” to exercise power “over bodies.”

He then returned to these statements, coming out in favor of a ban from the viability of the fetus (around 24 weeks). That is to say the limit set for 50 years before the American Supreme Court, profoundly overhauled by Donald Trump, gives states the freedom to legislate on the issue in 2022.