The United States’ president-elect Donald Trump has appointed former independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy as his choice for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), one that has generated controversies likely to be a test against the loyalty of Republican cacause at the Senate during his confirmation process.
The president-elect made this decision on Thursday, confirming his readiness for work as soon as he is sworn in.
Robert F. Kennedy is popular as a anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist and has shared a lot of misinformation about vaccine safety and effectiveness. The former independent candidate talked tough about his willingness to fight corruption within the department and promised to ensure greater transparency to empower individual health decisions.
Kennedy will be in charge of key programs like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, if he is lucky to be confirmed by the legislative arm. His leadership in the agency could aid the effort of the Republican to revise Medicaid to include potential work requirements and funding reductions that faced resistance during the first term of Trump’s administration.
The man also equally proposed major reforms in the sector, such as overhauling vaccine research funding, food safety, and environmental guidelines.
Recall that Kennedy dropped his bid to contest the U.S. presidency in August and immediately endorsed Trump’s presidential ambition and hinted at involvement in public health reform, including his involvement in Trump’s campaign, all of which caused questions about the recent appointment.
Kennedy’s questionable stance on vaccines and his proposed plan to change staff at agencies like the FDA and NIH caused debate, with his appointment already causing a change in vaccine stock prices.