President Donald Trump's newly appointed health chief, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has indicated that his top priority for the next four years will be tackling the epidemic of chronic diseases in children. RFK Jr. was officially sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday at the White House, surrounded by his family, following his confirmation by the Senate.
"For 20 years, I got down every morning on my knees and prayed that God would put me in a position where I can end childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country," Kennedy said moments after his swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon amid massive applause.
Kennedy Shares His Plans
"On August 23 of last year, God sent me President Trump," he added, referencing the day he withdrew from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Trump. RFK Jr. argued that Trump's plan to restore "America's strength" cannot succeed with a "citizenry" due to chronic illness.
"60% of our people are sick. 77% of our children cannot qualify for military service," Kennedy continued, referring to a 2022 Pentagon study," he said.
The HHS chief commended Trump's recent efforts to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development – an agency founded by his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – saying, "We want to do the same thing with the institutions that are stealing the health of our children."
Kennedy, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier in the day with a 52-48 vote, will now oversee 13 divisions and agencies within HHS, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with a budget of approximately $1.7 trillion.
He said that he plans to introduce "radical transparency" at HHS and restore "gold standard science" at the agencies under his supervision.
"Ending the corruption, ending the corporate capture of those agencies, getting rid of the people on those panels that have conflicts of interest — we can do unadorned and unimpeded science rather than the kind of product that is coming out of those agencies," Kennedy said.
Not an Easy Route
Kennedy's swearing-in took place just hours after the Senate confirmed him following a contentious confirmation process. Kennedy came under intense scrutiny and faced strong criticism from Democrats for his previous anti-vaccine stance and for promoting conspiracy theories, resulting in a partisan vote of 52-48 in his favor.
Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote with every Democrat against his confirmation.
McConnell, a polio survivor, condemned Kennedy in a statement, accusing the 70-year-old vaccine skeptic of spreading "dangerous conspiracy theories" and undermining public trust in health institutions. He argued that Kennedy had failed to demonstrate he was the right person to lead America's largest health agency.
While Democrats acknowledged efforts to improve the nation's health, they strongly criticized Kennedy's appointment, arguing that he was unqualified and had spent years disregarding and undermining scientific evidence.
Other Republicans had voiced concerns about the nominee prior to his confirmation but ultimately supported him after receiving multiple assurances from Kennedy and the administration that, as secretary, he would cooperate with Congress, support vaccines, and adhere to scientific guidance.
