Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime conspiracy theorist and opponent of vaccines, now has the ear of President-elect Donald Trump to promote what he’s calling the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.

It’s something of an unlikely alliance between the Kennedy family scion, once a celebrated environmental champion who called for prosecuting climate change deniers, and the returning Republican leader.

What they share, however, is a profound distrust of institutions. In the final stretch of the campaign, Trump announced that RFK Jr. would “have a big role in health care” if he won.

The announcement immediately raised alarm, given Kennedy’s reputation as a notorious vaccine skeptic.

Not long ago, though, Kennedy was a high-powered climate attorney and was even in the mix to become former president Barack Obama’s environment chief.

This makes him a complex figure, some experts say, who brings some valuable ideas to the table.

In recent days, he’s tried to reassure critics, telling NPR, “We’re not going to take vaccines away from anybody,” while adding, ominously, “We are going to make sure that Americans have good information.”

Kennedy has spent two decades promoting vaccine conspiracy theories, especially around Covid-19 shots — ironically, the very vaccines developed in record time under Trump’s first administration.

The nephew of the assassinated president John F. Kennedy, he was polling at around five percent of the popular vote before he withdrew to endorse Trump, to the dismay of his own family.

MAHA

Since then, the duo have been promoting the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, a play on Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) slogan — having reportedly approached Vice President Kamala Harris for a role, without success.

His mission: “to transform our nation’s food, fitness, air, water, soil, and medicine,” he said in a video, his voice unsteady due to a neurological condition.

“Our big priority will be to clean up the public health agencies,” he declared, naming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and more.

“Those agencies have become sock puppets for the industries that they’re supposed to regulate,” said the 70-year-old, echoing common progressive criticisms.

On X, he wrote: “If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Preserve your records, and 2. Pack your bags.”

He has also stirred controversy by suggesting he would stop the addition of fluoride to tap water — a practice aimed at preventing cavities that the CDC considers one of the top 10 health achievements of the 20th century.

Cabinet position?

Will he serve as an advisor or even health secretary? With a Republican Senate majority, a cabinet confirmation is now possible.

At a recent rally, Trump said that Kennedy — once arrested for protesting the Keystone XL pipeline — won’t be involved in his “Drill, baby, drill” agenda.

But he will be responsible for “women’s health”, Trump said in an announcement that angered Democrats already frustrated by Republican-led abortion restrictions.

Yet RFK Jr.’s stance on reproductive rights defies easy categorization. This spring, he defended a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy at any stage, saying, “Ultimately, I don’t trust government to have jurisdiction over people’s bodies.”

He later revised his position, favoring a ban after fetal viability, around 24 weeks — the limit set by a Supreme Court ruling that held sway for half a century before it was overturned in 2022, thanks to Trump-appointed justices.

Healthy eating

Kennedy will also tackle the nation’s food health, a curious task considering Trump’s well-known affection for McDonald’s.

America must end its chronic disease epidemic, says Kennedy, focusing in particular on obesity. But he’s also a fan of raw milk, a practice health experts strongly discourage.

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy called for bringing prescription drug prices significantly down, citing the diabetes medication Ozempic — an issue championed by left wing Senator Bernie Sanders.

He also proposes preventing food stamp recipients from purchasing soda and ultra-processed foods, a policy “which I have advocated for the past 15 years,” Tom Frieden, CDC director under Obama, said in Stat News.

While agreeing with Kennedy’s focus on chronic disease, Frieden remains wary. “The MAHA combination of sound science, pseudo-science, and profiteering by so-called ‘wellness’ companies isn’t the answer.”
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to drop out of the race for the White House, US media reported on Wednesday, with the independent candidate due to make a major address later in the week.

The New York Times and CNN reported that Kennedy, whose support was at 8.7 percent in a nationwide poll by The Hill this week, would back Republican nominee Donald Trump upon dropping out.

Analysts say that in the tight race between the Democratic Party’s Kamala Harris and Trump for the presidency, the votes of Kennedy’s supporters could determine the outcome in some battleground states.

Kennedy, the scion of America’s most famous political clan, is an environmental lawyer and long-time vaccine skeptic whose campaign struggled to gain traction with mainstream voters.

On Wednesday, his campaign said he would make an address to the nation on Friday from the swing state of Arizona, where Trump is also due to hold a campaign event that day.

“Independent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will address the nation live on Friday about the present historical moment and his path forward,” read a brief statement from RFK Jr.’s campaign.

The New York Times on Wednesday cited three anonymous sources as saying Kennedy would end his campaign and potentially endorse Trump.

CNN cited two anonymous sources who reported Kennedy was expected to suspend his campaign on Friday.

AFP has reached out to Kennedy’s campaign for comment on the reports. 

In a podcast interview this week, Kennedy’s running mate Nicole Shanahan hinted that he could withdraw in favor of Trump.

The Republican nominee told CNN on Tuesday that he would “certainly” be open to Kennedy playing a role in his administration if he was elected.

“He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy,” Trump told CNN. “I’ve known him for a very long time.

“I didn’t know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I’d be open to it.”

Known for sometimes bizarre pronouncements and for spreading often dangerous health-related conspiracy theories, Kennedy has faced a number of setbacks in his electoral campaign.

This month, a judge in New York claimed that Kennedy had falsely claimed residency in the state and barred him from ballots there.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)