Vaccine Critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Approved As Health Secretary By US Senate

Robert F. Kennedy Jr secured the nomination with a narrow 52-48 vote, becoming the latest controversial addition to President Donald Trump's cabinet.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for spreading vaccine misinformation, has been approved as health secretary of the US.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr, nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy was approved as health secretary on Thursday by the Republican-controlled US Senate, despite concerns from the medical community over his history of spreading vaccine misinformation and rejecting established scientific facts.

Commonly known as "RFK Jr," the 71-year-old secured the nomination with a narrow 52-48 vote, becoming the latest controversial addition to President Donald Trump's cabinet. Former Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell was the sole Republican who voted against him, according to a report by AFP.

Kennedy will now oversee a department with over 80,000 employees and a $1.7 trillion budget at a time when scientists warn of a rising threat of bird flu potentially triggering a human pandemic while declining vaccination rates have led to the resurgence of once-eradicated childhood diseases.

A former environmental lawyer, RFK Jr previously sued chemical giant Monsanto and criticised climate-change deniers for being traitors. In recent decades as well, he has highlighted multiple conspiracy theories from linking childhood vaccines to autism to making controversial claims about COVID-19 and its impact on different ethnic groups.

His evolving stance on key conservative issues—particularly abortion, which he once supported but has since signaled openness to restricting—helped him gain the backing of Republican lawmakers despite their initial reservations.

'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) Initiative Brings More Stability For Kennedy

During his confirmation hearings, Democrats raised concerns about Kennedy’s financial disclosures, citing conflicts of interest tied to lucrative consulting fees from law firms suing pharmaceutical companies. They also highlighted allegations of sexual misconduct and his claims suggesting a connection between school shootings and antidepressants.

Kennedy gained more stability in his role by promoting his "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiative—a nod to Trump's well-known slogan—focusing on addressing the country’s chronic disease crisis by increasing accountability within the food industry.

While these ideas appeal to both sides of the political spectrum, experts remain skeptical about his ability to implement them due to his contentious relationship with science-based evidence.

Kennedy initially entered the 2024 presidential race as an independent candidate, drawing attention with a series of unusual personal revelations. These included his claim of recovering from a parasitic brainworm and a story from his daughter about him using a chainsaw to decapitate a dead whale.

Last year, 77 Nobel Prize winners wrote an open letter to the Senate opposing his nomination, warning that his confirmation could endanger public health.