Of all the nominations President-elect Donald Trump has made so far, tapping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services might be the most controversial – but not entirely for the reasons one might think. While RFK Jr. has firmly held beliefs that go against the mainstream orthodoxy – views he apparently intends to make policy – it is his family name and political legacy that may be ushering in a new political divide. Indeed, fault lines are already forming in new and unexpected ways.
RFK Jr. and MAHA
In a long-anticipated reveal, Donald Trump announced on Thursday, November 14, that he would appoint Kennedy to oversee HHS. On the campaign trail, the former president had made clear that he had planned to let him “go wild” on the nation’s fast-deteriorating health. During his now-infamous Madison Square Garden rally, Trump said:
“I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on the medicines.”
As part of his campaign, Trump touted a new cri de cœur of “MAHA,” or “Make America Healthy Again.” It’s difficult to argue this was not a sentiment motivating voters who had deep concerns regarding the faux food epidemic and the rise in childhood illnesses. What’s more, RFK Jr., as a scion of the Kennedy family, represents the closest thing to DC royalty for many die-hard Democratic supporters.
Democratic Party Denial
When it became clear to the American public that President Joe Biden was suffering cognitive decline, there were growing calls for a more robust primary contest. Despite his outspoken views on vaccines and certain shibboleths of bureaucratized modern medical administration, Kennedy ticked several boxes for left-leaning voters.
After he claimed that the DNC was “rigging” the primary against him, he became an independent candidate for president and amassed a following that – at its height – was registering more than 10% in numerous polls. Then came Biden’s disastrous and politically fatal debate against Donald Trump and the installation of Kamala Harris as the de facto nominee. A sizeable portion of Democratic Party voters were not impressed.
Then came the lawsuits to keep Kennedy off the ballot and the near-constant denigration. Finally, Kennedy endorsed Trump and instructed his supporters: “If you want to see me in Washington, DC. Vote for President Trump.” And based on the election’s results, it seems they did. In fact, Kennedy’s MAHA message looks set to become a dividing line in the new political landscape.
Naturally, Heads Exploded
With the announcement finally made, pundits, politicos, and policy advocates went scorched earth. During an interview with former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, CNN’s Jake Tapper said, “Well, America I hope you like measles.” Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association warned: “We’ve had people nominated for the job we disagreed with on policy and ideology, but I’m unaware of anyone who’s been nominated for this job that we can’t trust what they say.”
Massachusetts’s Senator Elizabeth Warren was more direct in her condemnation, posting, “RFK Jr. poses a danger to public health, scientific research, medicine, and health care coverage for millions. He wants to stop parents from protecting their babies from measles and his ideas would welcome the return of polio. I have a lot of questions for his Senate hearing.”
The CDC director, Mandy Cohen, was also distressed by the nomination, saying, “I don’t want to go backwards and see children or adults suffer or lose their lives to remind us that vaccines work.” But here’s the rub: Not everyone was against this choice.
Colorado’s Democratic Governor, Jared Polis, was notably enthused by the nomination. “He helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA,” he wrote. Going further, the staunch Trump critic noted that:
“I hope he leans into personal choice on vaccines rather than bans (which I think are terrible, just like mandates) but what I’m most optimistic about is taking on big pharma and the corporate ag oligopoly to improve our health.”
And across social media, several well-known left-leaning voices echoed their enthusiasm for MAHA. Indeed, while Kennedy has critics in both parties, he also has supporters for his mission. And it seems that politicians might be willing to work across enemy lines in what many see as a revolutionary approach to public health.
Kennedy Ready for Action?
In response to the nomination, RFK Jr. posted on X:
“Thank you @realDonaldTrump for your leadership and courage. I’m committed to advancing your vision to Make America Healthy Again. We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
He continued, writing, “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.”
Trump’s other nominations will most likely fall along party lines should they need to be confirmed by the Senate (rather than appointed through the Senate Recess path). But getting RFK Jr. to the top spot of HHS could result in dynamic support (and opposition) from both sides of the aisle.
