RFK Jr Boot Licks Trump For “Courage” In HHS Secretary Nomination; “Totally Unqualified” For Job, Hakeem Jeffries Says Of Anti-Vaxxer – Update
UPDATE: House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries may believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr is the wrong pick to run the powerful the Department of Health and Human Services, but Donald Trump is convinced the scion of American political royalty is set “to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”
When it comes to the controversy-courting and conspiracy-spouting RFK Jr., the man himself is juiced about his cabinet nomination Thursday.
More from Deadline
“I look forward to working with the more than 80,000 employees at HHS to free the agencies from the smothering cloud of corporate capture so they can pursue their mission to make Americans once again the healthiest people on Earth,” the anti-vaxxer and skeptic about fluoride in tap water posted online. Tellingly, Kennedy made no mention of his previously stated support for universal healthcare — not exactly a big Republican-backed topic.
Looking at a potential rocky confirmation process with Democrats and moderate Republicans, RFK Jr was seen as having no real role in the new administration by some members of Trump’s inner circle. However, with Trump giving a middle finger to the status quo with many of his most recent nominees, Kennedy may prove a success in getting through the GOP-controled Senate as one of the lesser of many evils.
“I will provide Americans with transparency and access to all the data so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families,” Kennedy said today, thanking Big Mac-loving Trump and pledging “to advancing your vision to Make America Healthy Again.”
PREVIOUSLY, 1:43 PM PT: Robert F Kennedy Jr is “totally unqualified” to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries declared Thursday as Donald Trump named the famed anti-vaxxer as his nominee for the cabinet position.
“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),” Trump said Thursday as leaks spilled out of the potential new gig for the former Democrat who has promised to Make America Healthy Again. “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,” Trump added in words that sounded more like something that would come from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party or former First Lady Michelle Obama in her healthy eating advocacy.
“We have a lot of challenges emerging from the pandemic,” de facto leader of the opposition Jeffries told CNN as news of Kennedy’s name officially being put forward by Trump became known. “We need serious folks with a serious background and serious expertise. Robert F Kennedy Jr is, of course, none of the above.”
Of course, the controversial eldest son of former Attorney General and New York Sen. Robert F Kennedy may not be a serious fella in Jeffries’ estimation, but junk food addict Trump loves him. The former and future president is clearly tiggled by the idea of a member of America’s royal family working for him.
In many ways, with Kennedy’s strong support of Trump the past few months after ending his own Independent presidential campaign, and with the slew of shock-to-the-system and extremist nominees like Tulsi Gabbard and Matt Gaetz unveiled by the 45th and soon-to-be 47th POTUS, a top job for President John F. Kennedy’s nephew was almost certain. After all, on Election Night, an exuberant Trump told his Palm Beach victory party of Kennedy: “I’m gonna let him go wild on health. I’m gonna let him go wild on the food. I’m gonna let him go wild on medicines.”
Of course, in a rebuke to the former environmental lawyer, a drill-baby-drill-roaring Trump told Kennedy to not even think about getting his hands on fossil fuel policy. Still, with the likes of the much investigated AG nominee Gaetz attracting a lot of attention, Kennedy has a better than probable chance of getting confirmed by the GOP-dominated Senate after making a few promises of caution.
One of America’s loudest anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists for years and the subject of various scandals and bear-dumping stories, the Los Angeles-based Kennedy has proven a lightening rod for the media, his own family and others in Trump’s inner circle.
Earlier this year, as stories of RFK Jr’s past brain worm infection were revealed and before his affair with journalist Olivia Nuzzi became known, Kennedy’s siblings came out against their brother in what was then his bid against Joe Biden. Just this week, Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick insisted to CNN that Kennedy was “not getting a job for HHS” and certainly wouldn’t be running the federal department.
Got that wrong.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.