Trump Announces Plans for RFK Jr. to Revitalize America's Health in Victory Address
Trump will regain his position as the President of the United States, with Kennedy joining him on this journey. During Trump's triumphant speech last night, he acknowledged Kennedy and reaffirmed his pledge to grant Kennedy the opportunity to overhaul the nation's public health policies in his desired manner. This could potentially lead to certain vaccines being removed from the market.
Although numerous votes remain uncounted and congressional races are still under consideration, Trump is on track to become the second individual in history to serve as U.S. President for two non-consecutive terms (following Cleveland). And Trump has made it clear that Kennedy will be given a chance to instigate his unique brand of disorder within the government.
After expressing gratitude to a multitude of individuals, such as VP-elect Vance, Musk, and the US Open champion DeChambeau, Trump briefly mentioned Kennedy, saying: “[Kennedy] came forward. He’s going to help keep America healthy again. He's a great guy and he genuinely means it. He has ideas, and we're going to let him pursue them.”
Since Kennedy withdrew from the race and aligned himself with the Trump campaign, it's become evident that his controversial views on vaccines and public health in the U.S. have found a sympathetic ear in Trump. Most recently, prior to the election, Trump promoted the idea of completely abolishing water fluoridation in the country and hinted at banning certain vaccines—ideas that Kennedy has also advocated.
In a CNN interview last week, transition co-chair Lutnick disclosed that Kennedy would be permitted to examine vaccine data and could push for the removal of some vaccines if he so chose. Kennedy and his supporters have consistently challenged the safety and efficacy of vaccines, often employing misleading or incorrect arguments. Both he and Trump have continued to support the link between vaccination and autism, a theory that has been disproven.
Kennedy claimed last week that Trump had promised him extensive control over the U.S.'s public health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and USDA. However, it remains unclear what this would entail during Trump's second term. Kennedy might face strong opposition from lawmakers if Trump attempted to appoint him to a cabinet position (depending on the Senate's composition). But even if Kennedy didn't land an official government role, he could exert informal influence over the selection of new officials within these agencies or the formation of Trump-era policies and regulatory adjustments.
Kennedy and his support of the anti-vaccination movement have already inflicted harm, most notably by contributing to the decrease in vaccination rates in Samoa just before the nation endured a massive measles outbreak that claimed at least 83 lives, primarily among children under five. Now that he's been granted free rein to at least attempt to dismantle crucial aspects of public health in the U.S., such as vaccination, ominous days may well be on the horizon.
Given Trump's support for Kennedy's views on vaccines, future scientific advancements in healthcare might face challenges. For instance, the development and distribution of life-saving vaccines could be impacted by Kennedy's influence on public health policies.
Embracing technology in healthcare could prove to be a beacon of hope in this context, potentially offering alternative methods to prevent and treat diseases, thus bypassing traditional vaccine-based approaches that Kennedy might seek to dismantle.
