Donald Trump has picked vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr for a top spot overseeing federal healthcare in his new administration.
In a post on X, RFK Jr vowed to work to end chronic disease, clean up corruption and provide Americans with the data they need to make informed decisions, vowing to Trump he would work to "Make America Healthy Again."
The former president, who will return to the White House in January 2025 after receiving the backing of more than 72 million voters, earlier suggested he has big plans for Mr Kennedy.
The president-elect previously stated that Mr Kennedy would have "a big role in the administration" but stopped short of confirming what the role would be.
Speaking at a rally before the election, Mr Trump also said he would let Mr Kennedy “go wild on food” and “go wild on medicines”.
RFK Jr later said: “We don’t know what I’m going to do. I talked to the president about it yesterday, and he asked me what I wanted, and I said, we’re developing a proposal now.”
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for your leadership and courage. I'm committed to advancing your vision to Make America Healthy Again.
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 14, 2024
We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic…
Rumours had swirled that Mr Kennedy could be in line for a key position overseeing federal healthcare agencies after the former Democrat threw his support behind Mr Trump’s campaign.
Mr Kennedy had initially entered the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate earlier this year before suspending his campaign in August to endorse the president-elect.
Since news emerged that he may be repaid for his support with a major appointment, RFK Jr has sought to clarify his position on various key health topics, including his stance on vaccines and fluoride in US drinking water.
He has downplayed claims that he’s an anti-vaxxer despite his record of promoting misinformation in the past.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Robert F Kennedy Jr?
Mr Kennedy, the fourth member of his family line to seek the presidency, is a best-selling author and environmental lawyer who has campaigned on issues such as clean drinking water.
His father, Robert F Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968 when he was the favourite to become the Democrats’ choice as their presidential candidate. President John F Kennedy, his uncle, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.
Beyond his well-known relatives, Mr Kennedy is famed for his opposition to certain vaccinations and unusual views on various healthcare topics – despite having no background in healthcare or science.
His opinions have been largely criticised by healthcare experts as being fuelled by conspiracy theories.
Mr Kennedy is also well known for his work in environmental law. The 70-year-old achieved a master’s in environmental law from Pace University, having previously studied at Harvard and the London School of Economics (LSE).
He developed a reputation as a passionate environmental advocate by fighting against the use of fossil fuels and advocating for indigenous populations. Because of his accomplishments in cleaning up the polluted Hudson River, he was recognised as one of Time magazine's "heroes for the planet".
Robert F Kennedy's plans for US healthcare
RFK Jr has made it clear that he has some big plans for healthcare in the US.
Mr Kennedy opposes fluoride in drinking water, previously telling NPR: “We don’t need fluoride in our water. It’s a very bad way to deliver it into our systems.”
Mr Trump says he hasn’t spoken to Mr Kennedy about the topic yet, but suggested he was open to a discussion. He told NBC News: “It sounds okay to me. You know it's possible.”
Fluoride is a mineral often added to drinking water, which helps strengthen people’s teeth and prevents bacteria that leads to tooth decay.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends “0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/l) of fluoride in your drinking water. This is the level that prevents tooth decay and promotes good oral health.”
Higher levels of fluoride may pose a health risk, but most experts believe small amounts are beneficial to people’s dental health.
In places where fluoride has been removed from water supplies, like in Canada, experts have also noticed an uptick in severe tooth decay in children.
Mr Kennedy has also previously suggested that he wanted to remove toxins and additives from US foods, ban pharmaceutical advertising and “prove” that vaccines are unsafe - a claim for which there is no scientific evidence.
Long before the Covid-19 pandemic, RFK was active in the vaccine sceptic movement, and his beliefs have been criticised by public health professionals and members of his own family.
Regarding vaccinations, his niece Kerry Kennedy described his concerns about vaccines as “dangerously wrong” in 2020.
He has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. He has also pushed other conspiracy theories, such as that Covid-19 could have been “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people, comments he later said were taken out of context.
Despite his background as an anti-vaxxer, Mr Kennedy has since said: “We’re not going to take vaccines away from anybody”.
He said to MSNBC: “I’m going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them.”
Who is Robert F Kennedy Jr married to?
Mr Kennedy married his third wife, actress and director Cheryl Hines, in 2014 at the Kennedy compound on Cape Cod. They were introduced by Hines’s co-star Larry David, from the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, and started dating in 2012.
Hines is best known for playing the role of Larry David‘s wife, Cheryl, on Curb Your Enthusiasm, for which she has been nominated for two Emmy Awards. She also starred as Dallas Royce on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory and made her directorial debut in 2009 with the film Serious Moonlight.
