“I’m going to let him go wild on health,” former President Donald Trump declared Sunday at his rally at Madison Square Garden. “I’m going to let him go wild on food. I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.”
Trump was referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former political rival whom Trump has increasingly hinted will take on a health-related role in his administration if he wins a second term.
Trump's remarks were part of an ongoing trend, as he and Kennedy appeared together at a Turning Point Action Rally in Duluth, GA, on October 23, 2024. Kennedy has indicated that Trump promised him oversight of key agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This possibility has raised concerns within the public health community, not necessarily because of Kennedy’s recent health proposals but due to his well-known stance on vaccines—a topic he's avoided in his “Make America Healthy Again” platform.
“I think he’s trying to rebrand himself before the election, but it shouldn’t be taken seriously,” said Dr. Jason Schwartz, an associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health.
Kennedy, who founded the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense and has promoted anti-vaccine content such as the documentary Vaxxed III: Authorized to Kill, has recently shifted his focus to chronic disease. He has not mentioned vaccines in recent public appearances, including a Wall Street Journal opinion piece in September and a Tuesday interview on Fox and Friends.
Instead, Kennedy has pushed for stricter regulations on chemicals in food, advocating for using tallow fat instead of seed oils in McDonald’s french fries to make them healthier. He’s also proposed limiting access to soda and processed foods through school lunch programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“He knows vaccines are a lightning rod issue and that it doesn’t help him,” said Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
However, Osterholm cautioned, “I can’t think of anyone who would be more damaging to vaccines and their use than RFK.”
