Donald Trump on Thursday (Nov 14) tapped anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy as his secretary of well being within the newest provocative nomination from the incoming Republican president.
Trump introduced on his Reality Social platform that he was “thrilled” to call Kennedy.
Shifting shortly since his election final week, Trump has launched into a marketing campaign of political shock and awe as he rolls out an administration designed to upend – and in some instances actually dismantle – the US authorities.
A number of of Trump’s selections for high jobs – together with a TV information anchor on the helm of the Pentagon and an ally embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations for legal professional basic – have unnerved Washington.
Kennedy, a scion of the well-known political household who’s popularly generally known as RFK Jr, is a longtime environmental campaigner who deserted a fringe bid for the presidency to endorse Trump towards Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Trump has stated he needs Kennedy to “go wild” in altering healthcare.
Kennedy, 70, who has posted shirtless pictures to boast of his weight-lifting prowess, argues that elementary change is required to the way in which Individuals eat, train and use medicines.
If authorised by the Senate, which Trump’s Republican Get together controls, he’ll take over the Well being and Human Companies Division, a mammoth establishment with a funds of near US$2 trillion.
In his assertion, Trump stated Kennedy will “Make America Nice and Wholesome Once more!”
The 78-year-old president-elect echoed lots of Kennedy’s speaking factors, saying “Individuals have been crushed by the economic meals complicated and drug corporations who’ve engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation.”
“Mr Kennedy will restore these Businesses to the traditions of Gold Customary Scientific Analysis, and beacons of Transparency, to finish the Power Illness epidemic,” Trump stated.
The nomination will meet critical opposition, given Kennedy’s historical past of selling medical conspiracy theories – together with the disproven declare that childhood vaccines trigger autism – and saying that the COVID-19 vaccine was lethal.
