By Navia Cienna 
Photo credit: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert Kennedy (RFK Jr.) to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announcing “I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on the medicines.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an environmental lawyer widely recognized for being the nephew of John F. Kennedy, America’s 35th president. He founded the Children’s Health Defense, a mass membership organization focused on childhood chronic disease and toxic exposures, and the Waterkeeper Alliance, “the world’s largest water advocacy group.” Most notably, he played a role in the 2024 presidential election as a candidate for the independent party, which he later suspended when he endorsed Trump. In light of his nomination, there has been discourse on both ends of the political spectrum, as he has already inspired health protocol changes like the push to eliminate fluoride from drinking water in Winter Haven, FL.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has “13 operating divisions, including 10 agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and three human services agencies.” Each of these divisions positively contributes to the nation’s health through life-saving research. If RFK Jr. is confirmed to be Secretary of HHS by the Senate, he has publicly announced the areas he would like to change. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency that oversees eight centers and offices in addition to reviewing a multitude of products ranging from food to medicine and cosmetics, is one to note. The HHS nominee has spoken out about his distrust of the FDA, claiming that chronic diseases result from artificial food dyes and ultra-processed foods that are regulated under the agency. In an interview with NBC News, Kennedy stated, “There are entire departments,” like the nutrition department, that “have to go” because its workers are “not doing their job.” As such he has hinted at a willingness to remove administrative departments he feels are not doing an adequate job. The nation’s medical research agency, known as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is another agency of interest for Kennedy. He “proposed to devote half of the NIH’s research budget toward preventive, alternative, and holistic approaches to health.” Another desire of RFK Jr. is to make changes to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He has spoken about a revision in coverage under Medicare and Medicaid by offering gym memberships and helping individuals pay for healthier foods for those suffering from diabetes and obesity, instead of providing them with medications like Ozempic.
One of his more specific initiatives is to change health protocols focusing on fluoride levels in drinking water. The CDC states that water with a low fluoride level can help prevent cavities and make teeth more resistant to decay by strengthening the tooth’s surface, and recommends a limit of 0.7mg/L in the United States. According to the CDC, “studies continue to show that widespread community water fluoridation prevents cavities and saves money, both for families and the health care system,” and, “it remains one of the most cost-effective ways to deliver fluoride to all community members regardless of age, education level, or income level.” Despite the benefits, RFK Jr. posted to his X account stating, “fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.” This may be an oversimplification of the issue as fluoride is an intricate topic with various factors to take into account: socioeconomic status, age, length of exposure, and amount. A study by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) revealed they were “moderately confident” higher fluoride levels had negative consequences on children in non-U.S. countries, finding, that “drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter, is associated with lower IQ in children.” The same study also found “insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 mg/L currently recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children’s IQ” and recommended more research to “better understand if there are health risks associated with low fluoride exposures.” Additionally, bone fractures and skeletal fluorosis (tooth discoloration) are also possible, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), when exposed to high levels of fluoride for a prolonged period. Generally, as explained by Athanasios Zavaras, Professor of Public Health and Community Service at Tufts University School of Medicine, “fluoride in small amounts is beneficial whereas fluoride in high doses is toxic.”
Although most medical professionals deem low levels of fluoride safe, discussion on the appropriate fluoride levels is ongoing. RFK Jr. announced, “the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.” While, according to the CDC, “state and local governments decide whether to implement water fluoridation,” federal intervention is possible. This topic has recently received federal attention, as U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in Northern California made a ruling confronting the issue of fluoride in September, concluding that even the federally recommended levels pose “an unreasonable risk of injury to the health of the public.” The court later noted, “if the Court finds anew that the chemical at issue presents an unreasonable risk, it then orders the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to engage in rulemaking regarding the chemical,” which would allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to step in. Robert Sussman, a former EPA deputy administrator and environmental litigator, spoke on the ruling, claiming it “gives the Trump administration a path for banning the chemical in drinking water.”
While still not in the position, RFK Jr.’s public stance on removing fluoride in drinking water has already caught the attention of local officials in Winter Haven, FL. Numerous exchanges took place between residents and commissioners before a verdict was reached on this issue. Commissioner Brad Danzler referenced RFK Jr., saying, “Mr. Kennedy has made it well known and has publicly said that he wants fluoride out of the water around the entire country.” One resident ultimately agreed, stating “I can get false teeth if needed. I only have one brain.” However, commissioner Clifton E. Dollison advocated keeping fluoride within the water, as he explained the benefits of fluoride growing up in a poor household, and that “removing fluoride would be doing away with something beneficial to those less fortunate in the community.” Mayor Nathaniel L. Birdsong Jr. also agreed with this comment. Despite the controversy, the city commissioners voted 3-2 to remove fluoride from the city’s drinking water.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also associated with his controversial statements on vaccines. In 2021, Kennedy claimed the COVID-19 vaccine was the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” The CDC mentions that any vaccine can cause side effects and “side effects reported after the COVID-19 vaccination varies from person to person.” More specifically relating to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the National Library of Medicine, “based on reported COVID‐19 deaths, vaccinations prevented an estimated 14.4 million deaths from COVID‐19 in a year.” These findings suggest that while the vaccine’s effects can vary, plenty of research supports its benefits. Another instance was from an interview in 2023 with Jesse Watters on Fox News, where RFK Jr. said, “I do believe autism comes from vaccines.” However, according to the World Health Organization website, “extensive research using a variety of different methods and conducted over many years has demonstrated that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine does not cause autism,” and “evidence also shows that other childhood vaccines do not increase the risk of autism.” While his claims that vaccines cause autism are unsubstantiated and medical professionals who have made similar claims have faced severe professional sanctions, these claims could be potentially impactful in the same way his claims about fluoride in water were in Winter Haven.
After the 2024 election cycle, Republicans now hold the majority in the Senate, with a balance of 53 Republicans to 47 Democrats. However, opinions on RFK Jr. vary when addressing the Senate’s position on his nomination. While some senators declined to comment on RFK Jr.’s nomination, others have expressed their support or have disagreed with his views. Following an observation of Kennedy’s interest in American health, Mike Crapo, the top Republican on the committee, revealed “I look forward to considering his nomination before the Finance Committee.” Senate Democrat Patty Murray disclosed an opposing viewpoint stating, “Confirming RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary would be nothing short of a disaster for the health of millions of families,” and, “I urge my Senate Republican colleagues to join me in forcefully condemning and opposing this catastrophic nomination.” According to Politico, another Democratic senator, Corey Booker, “acknowledged that he and Kennedy have had similar ideas on the connection between food and health — but said he didn’t trust the coming Trump administration.” RFK Jr. responded to Booker on his X account, publicly thanking him for his shared commitment to addressing the issue of processed foods, and signaled an effort to collaborate on the issue by saying “let’s work together to end this. ”
Republican senator Chuck Grassley did not comment directly on RFK Jr’s nomination, but he did express his opinion on the nominee’s beliefs through an AgriTalk Radio interview in October, stating “There are ways to make America healthy again without upsetting the way we produce food. Whatever ideas he has about making lives… more healthy, it’s got to be compromised with producing enough food so everyone doesn’t die.” Voicing a seemingly more neutral position was Republican Senator John Cornyn, who asserted, “Kennedy will be treated like all other nominees. I don’t have any preconceived notion about it.” While Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, these conflicting views suggest that the outcome of RFK Jr.’s potential confirmation as secretary remains uncertain. RFK Jr.’s nomination has sparked controversy because of his public opinions. His confirmation now lies in the hands of senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties, who will decide if RFK Jr’s vision for the HHS will come to pass.