President-elect Trump has appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. elected to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“I am very pleased to welcome Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to announce as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the food industrial complex and pharmaceutical companies that have engaged in deception, disinformation, and disinformation when it comes to public health,” Trump said in his announcement Thursday.

“The safety and health of all Americans is the most important role of any government, and HHS will play a major role in helping ensure everyone is protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming health crisis in this country, Mr. Kennedy, will restore these agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research and beacons of transparency, to end the chronic disease epidemic and make America great and healthy again! Trump added.

The announcement comes just over a week after Trump regained the presidency.

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Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, shake hands during a campaign rally in Glendale, Arizona, August 23. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

RFK Jr. joined the 2024 campaign cycle as a candidate for the Oval Office. Kennedy, the son of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, has been disbarred from the presidential elections in August after initially running as a Democrat before switching to an independent run.

He endorsed Trump shortly after suspending his campaign, hitting the campaign trail for the Trump-Vance ticket while touting his plans to “make America whole again” under a potential Trump presidency.

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He also spoke at Trump’s historic rally at Madison Square Garden last month, where he unpacked the current state of the Democratic Party.

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks for Republican presidential candidate, Former US President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27, 2024 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

“The Democratic Party is the party of war. It is the party of the CIA. You had Kamala Harris give a speech at the Democratic convention that was written by neoconservatives. It was combative, belligerent. There was talk of the United States dominating the world through our weapons of war. Today it is the party that wants to divide Americans. It is a party that dismantles women’s sports by allowing men to play women’s sports,” he said.

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“It’s the party of Wall Street. It’s the party of Bill Gates, who just gave $50 million to Harris. It is the party, and the Harris campaign is very proud to have received the support of fifty former CIA agents and officers and John Bolton. and from Dick Cheney.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waves to the crowd during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, Friday, August 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Kennedy was asked about his possible role in the next White House and whether he would begin “cleaning out the highest-level federal service employees currently working at the FDA and the CDC.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, shakes hands with Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, during a campaign rally on Friday, August 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz.

He continued: “In some categories, their entire departments, such as the FDA’s nutrition division, have to go. They’re not doing their job. They don’t protect our children. Why do we have Froot Loops in this country? that have 18 or 19 ingredients, and you go to Canada and there are two or three?”

This isn’t the first time Kennedy has been considered for a Cabinet position for a presidential administration. In 2008, then-President-elect Barack Obama was reportedly strongly considering appointing Kennedy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Politico reported at the time.

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Transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt joined Fox News earlier Thursday, where she noted that more Cabinet picks were likely to be announced later that afternoon, and also noted that Kennedy is a “once in a generation thought leader” who will likely take on a position would be offered in the government. .

“Certainly, President Trump wants to find a place for RFK JR. He made that very clear during the campaign. RFK JR. is a once-in-a-generation thought leader. He is an independent spirit, a critical thinker. We definitely need more of that. in Washington, DC As for his specific position, I’ll let President Trump announce that. But in the Trump administration, RFK Jr will focus on making America whole again RFK JR, whatever position President Trump chooses, that promise will be kept,” Leavitt said.

Earlier this week, Kennedy called on ordinary Americans to make suggestions about what policies and people should be put in place under Trump’s second administration, with Kennedy allies launching a website called “Policies for the People” to share his suggestions. to facilitate voters.

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The website says the suggestions will help fill the more than 4,000 appointments across the executive branch.

“President Trump has asked Bobby (Kennedy) to help ‘drain the swamp’ by giving him an influential leadership role on his transition team,” a message on the website said. “But Bobby can’t do this alone, so he is now turning to the wisdom and expertise of his supporters – and the greater community.”

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, holds a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena on November 4, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The website is similar to what tech billionaire Elon Musk has said about “maximum transparency” regarding his upcoming role as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency. The task force, known as ‘DOGE’, will ‘dismantle government bureaucracy, eliminate redundant regulations and reduce wasteful spending’, and restructure federal agencies,” Trump said earlier this week.

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“All actions of the government’s Department of Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency. Any time the public thinks we are cutting back on something important or not cutting back on something wasteful, let us know! We will also have a leaderboard for the most outrageously stupid expenditure of your money.” tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining,” Musk wrote to X about how DOGE will operate.

Jamie Joseph and Peter Pinedo of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.