President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump said in a statement.

Thank you @realDonaldTrump for your leadership and courage. I'm committed to advancing your vision to Make America Healthy Again.

We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic…

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 14, 2024

He emphasized the importance of public health, adding, “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, 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 to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”

Shortly after the announcement, Kennedy took to X to express his gratitude and commitment to reform. “Together we will clean up corruption, stop the revolving door between industry and government, and return our health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science. I will provide Americans with transparency and access to all the data so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families,” he wrote, promising to “Make America Healthy Again” and tackle the nation’s chronic disease epidemic.

Kennedy, the son of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, initially entered the 2024 race as a Democratic presidential candidate but later switched to an independent bid. After withdrawing in August, he endorsed Trump, campaigning on a shared mission to overhaul U.S. health policies.

Kennedy made waves during Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last month, where he sharply criticized the Democratic Party. “The Democratic Party is the party of war. It’s the party of the CIA,” he said, accusing it of supporting divisive policies and undermining American values. “It’s the party of Wall Street. It’s the party of Bill Gates… It’s the party that is dismantling women’s sports by letting men play women’s sports.”

When asked about his plans for federal health agencies, Kennedy was direct. “In some categories, their entire departments, like the nutrition department in the FDA, they have to go. They’re not doing their job. They’re not protecting our kids. Why do we have Froot Loops in this country that have 18 or 19 ingredients, and you go to Canada, and it’s got two or three?”

Kennedy has also invited ordinary Americans to contribute ideas for policies and personnel under Trump’s second administration. His allies recently launched a website, “Policies for the People,” to gather suggestions. “President Trump has asked Bobby [Kennedy] to help ‘drain the swamp’ by giving him an influential leadership role on his transition team,” the site notes. “But Bobby cannot do this alone, so he is now turning to the wisdom and expertise of his supporters – and the larger community.”