In a bold and polarizing appointment, President-elect Donald Trump named Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known anti-vaccine advocate, as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday evening. The announcement, made during an event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, is part of a sweeping series of high-profile, unorthodox nominations designed to disrupt Washington’s political establishment.
Kennedy, an environmental campaigner and former Democratic presidential hopeful, previously abandoned his bid to endorse Trump against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. In their joint campaign appearances, Trump and Kennedy vowed to “Make America Healthy Again,” advocating for substantial changes to the healthcare system.
“We want you to come up with ideas you’ve been talking about for years, and I think you’re going to do some unbelievable things,” Trump told Kennedy during the event. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Kennedy, 70, will lead the HHS—a department with an annual budget nearing $2 trillion. The nomination has already sparked significant controversy given Kennedy’s history of promoting disproven claims, such as linking vaccines to autism and calling COVID-19 vaccines dangerous.
Controversial Cabinet Appointments
The Kennedy appointment is only one of several unconventional nominations by Trump, who has made clear his intent to staff his administration with figures committed to his vision of reform and loyalty. Other nominees include:
- Attorney General: Far-right Congressman Matt Gaetz, who has faced investigations related to sex trafficking, was nominated for attorney general. Although Gaetz denies wrongdoing and has never been charged, his appointment is expected to meet considerable opposition.
- Secretary of the Interior: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a proponent of expanding oil exploration, was tapped to oversee national parks, with Trump promising to “slash energy costs.”
- Defence Secretary: Fox News host and former combat veteran Pete Hegseth, a close Trump ally, was appointed defense secretary despite lacking experience in managing large organizations.
Trump also introduced other allies to his administration, such as Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, a position where she will oversee some of the country’s most sensitive intelligence operations despite her controversial foreign policy views.
A Strategy of Loyalty Over Expertise
Trump’s latest nominations have alarmed Washington insiders, as many selections emphasize personal loyalty and ideological alignment with Trump’s “America First” agenda rather than conventional qualifications. The choice of attorney Gaetz, in particular, signals Trump’s focus on reshaping the Justice Department and potentially pursuing investigations against political opponents.
Support from High-Profile Allies
The event, organized by the America First Policy Institute, saw appearances by celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, who praised Trump as a “mythical character,” and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whom Trump jokingly described as an ever-present guest at Mar-a-Lago.
With his administration now taking shape, Trump is expected to make further provocative appointments as he prepares to launch what he describes as a government of “political shock and awe.” His supporters view these moves as a strong stance against bureaucratic stagnation, while critics warn of a potentially destabilizing impact on governance in Washington.