Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is actively engaging with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team to advocate for a leadership role in public health oversight, although he will not serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Reports from the Trump team clarify that Kennedy will instead focus on vaccine safety and health data rather than taking on the HHS secretary role, which had been under consideration for both Kennedy and Dr. Ben Carson.
Howard Lutnick, co-chair of Trump’s transition team, confirmed Kennedy’s involvement with health data initiatives, specifically targeting vaccine safety. Lutnick emphasized that Kennedy does not seek the formal HHS secretary position, stating, “He’s not going to be the secretary, no. That’s not what he wants to do. He just wants data, and he wants to prove things [about vaccines] are wrong.” Kennedy’s advocacy for investigating vaccine-related data aligns with his long-held public health stances, particularly his controversial criticism of certain vaccine practices.
In addition to health data initiatives, Kennedy claims Trump has promised him “control of the public health agencies” including the HHS and its subagencies: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and even the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Kennedy has outlined his intention to address systemic issues such as pesticide use in agriculture and concerns over seed oils, reflecting his ongoing advocacy for alternative health policies.
Kennedy’s ambitious plans reportedly include substantial personnel changes within NIH, with specific intentions to streamline leadership as early as the first days of Trump’s administration. At a recent event in Scottsdale, Arizona, he emphasized the urgency, remarking, “We need to act fast. And we want to have those people in place on Jan. 20 so that on Jan. 21, 600 people are going to walk into offices at NIH, and 600 people are going to leave.” These remarks highlight his intent to initiate swift reforms focused on re-aligning public health agencies with what he describes as a more safety-conscious, research-based approach.
While Kennedy’s involvement in the Trump administration remains focused on public health data and vaccine safety, his advocacy reflects a broader goal to challenge and potentially reshape federal health policy from within.
**Update: RFK Jr. has been appointed by the Trump Administration to lead the Human Health Services Department. Check back to Americanfaith.com for further updates.
