Late on Nov. 14, President-elect Donald Trump introduced that he would title Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the subsequent Secretary of Well being and Human Companies. He would succeed the present HHS Secretary, Xavier Becerra, after President Joe Biden’s time period ends in January.
The Washington Put up acknowledged that “President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday introduced that he has chosen Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Division of Well being and Human Companies, the sprawling company chargeable for administering tens of millions of Individuals’ medical health insurance, approving medicine and medical provides, regulating meals and responding to infectious-disease outbreaks. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, is the newest Trump choice for his Cupboard who might face a contentious Senate affirmation.”
And CNBC’s Dan Mangan wrote on Thursday that “If the Senate approves Kennedy, the previous impartial presidential candidate will lead a sprawling division chargeable for the massive Medicare and Medicaid well being protection packages, the Meals and Drug Administration, the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. HHS’s choices on spending and insurance policies have main results on the U.S. health-care system and associated companies.”
Managan famous that “Kennedy, 70, is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, the late U.S. legal professional basic and Democratic senator from New York who was assassinated in 1968 by a gunman in Los Angeles as he ran for president. He’s the nephew of former President John Kennedy who was assassinated in 1963. Trump stated in October that if elected he would let Kennedy ‘Go wild on well being.’”
Trump wrote in a put up on his Reality Social web site on Thursday that “I’m thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as America Secretary of Well being and Human Companies. For too lengthy, Individuals have been crushed by the economic meals complicated and drug firms who’ve engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation with regards to Public Well being. The Security and Well being of all Individuals is crucial position of any Administration, and HHS will play a giant position in serving to make sure that everyone can be shielded from dangerous chemical compounds, pollution, pesticides, pharmaceutical merchandise, and meals components which have contributed to the overwhelming Well being Disaster on this Nation,” Trump added.
Mangan famous that “Kennedy advised NBC Information in a current interview that Trump has stated he needs Kennedy to ‘clear up corruption’ at federal well being companies, return these companies to science-based insurance policies and ‘make America wholesome once more.’ Kennedy stated that ‘there are total departments, just like the vitamin division on the FDA, that should go.’” Mangan additionally famous that “Inventory costs of vaccine makers fell earlier Thursday on stories that Trump would faucet Kennedy for the HHS put up.”
In the meantime, POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw and Chelsa Cirrruzzo wrote on Thursday afternoon that “The decide, which can roil many public well being consultants, comes after Trump promised to let Kennedy ‘go wild’ with well being and meals coverage in his administration after Kennedy dropped his personal presidential bid to endorse the now-president-elect. It’s additionally an indication of the opening Trump sees after he scored a decisive electoral victory and Republicans gained a cushty majority within the Senate.”
McGraw and Cirruzzo wrote additional that “Kennedy, 70, should face a steep slope to affirmation after his years of touting debunked claims that vaccines trigger autism, written a e book accusing former Nationwide Institutes of Well being official Anthony Fauci of conspiring with tech mogul Invoice Gates and drugmakers to promote Covid-19 vaccines and stated regulatory officers are business puppets who needs to be eliminated. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) stated Kennedy can be handled like all different nominees,” they reported, and quoted Sen. Cornyn as saying that “I don’t have any preconceived notion about it.” And, they wrote, “When requested if vaccine positions would possibly make affirmation tough: ‘I’m positive it can come up.’”
They have been in a position to attain Home Minority Chief Hakeen Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who famous that in fact, “[I]t’s as much as the Senate to substantiate or reject Kennedy however was skeptical that he was the fitting selection. ‘Is RFK Jr. the most effective certified particular person in the USA of America to steer us ahead as we grapple with an infinite quantity of well being challenges on this nation? The reply is clearly he’s not,’ Jeffries stated.”
In the meantime, The New York Instances’s Sheryl Homosexual Stolberrg and Luke Broadwater wrote late on Thursday afternoon that “Mr. Kennedy’s resistance to public well being measures, embrace of other drugs and pure meals and dissemination of false details about vaccines — together with that they trigger autism — suggests he would overtly conflict with the companies he would oversee. In selecting Mr. Kennedy, who has no medical or public well being diploma, Mr. Trump is once more proposing the kind of provocative staffing determination that underscores his acknowledged want to shatter Washington norms.” And, they added, “Lawmakers from either side have been shocked and dismayed at Mr. Trump’s plan to appoint former Consultant Matt Gaetz to be the legal professional basic. Mr. Trump’s selections of Pete Hegseth, a Fox Information host and Military veteran who has no senior command expertise, as secretary of protection, and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who switched events as she got here to again Mr. Trump, because the director of nationwide intelligence, have been additionally considered as unorthodox selections.”
And CNN’s Katilan Collins, Kristen Holmes, and Aaron Pellish famous on Thursday that, “If confirmed as the highest public well being official within the nation, Kennedy would oversee the operations of the Reasonably priced Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid. Although Trump has moved away from in search of to completely repeal Obamacare, it stays to be seen whether or not he and his well being officers will launch a plan to enhance the regulation, as Trump promised on the marketing campaign path.”
Additional, they wrote, “Kennedy would even be concerned in any modifications Trump and congressional Republicans try and make to Medicaid, which gives well being care protection for low-income Individuals. In Trump’s first time period, the company tried to institute work necessities, which was largely blocked in courtroom, and lawmakers unsuccessfully sought to cut back this system’s funding. This system, which covers practically 72.5 million Individuals, is anticipated to be a goal in Trump’s second time period, particularly because the GOP seeks financial savings to offset the tax reduction they hope to implement.”
It is a breaking information story, and can be up to date as developments warrant.
