 tapped anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his secretary of health in the latest provocative nomination from the incoming Republican president. “We want you to come up with things and ideas and what you’ve been talking about for a long time and I think you’re going to do some unbelievable things,” Trump told Kennedy Jr. during an event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday (14) evening. Moving quickly since his election last week, Trump has embarked on a campaign of political shock and awe as he rolls out an administration designed to upend — and in some cases literally dismantle — the US government. 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… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024 Several of Trump’s choices for top jobs — including a TV news anchor at the helm of the Pentagon and an ally embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations for attorney general — have unnerved the Washington establishment. Trump also announced Thursday (14) that his personal attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who defended him at trial this year over hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, would serve as deputy attorneys general. Kennedy, a scion of the famous political family who is popularly known as RFK Jr., is a longtime environmental campaigner who abandoned a fringe bid for the presidency to endorse Trump against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Trump had said previously he wanted Kennedy to “go wild” in changing health care and the two campaigned together promising to “Make America Healthy Again.” If approved by the Senate, which Trump’s Republican Party controls, 70-year-old Kennedy will take over the Health and Human Services Department, a mammoth institution with a budget of close to $2 trillion. In a statement explaining his choice, Trump echoed many of Kennedy’s talking points, saying “Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation.” The nomination could meet opposition, given Kennedy’s history of promoting medical conspiracy theories — including the disproven claim that childhood vaccines cause autism — and saying that the Covid-19 vaccine was deadly. He is also burdened by a string of colorful and even bizarre stories from his personal life. These include his statement that a parasitic worm once entered his “brain and ate a portion of it and then died.” An admission this year that he was behind the long unsolved mystery of a dead bear dumped in New York’s Central Park a decade ago raised eyebrows. Trump has yet to select treasury and commerce chiefs, or an education secretary, whose department he wants to abolish. During the event in Mar-a-Lago on Thursday (14) evening, he said that wealthy North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum would be appointed secretary of the interior, putting him in charge of national parks which could be opened to more oil exploration. “We’re going to slash energy costs,” Trump told the event organized by the America First Policy Institute, where he was introduced by libertarian Argentinian President Javier Milei and Hollywood A-lister Sylvester Stallone. “Rocky” star Stallone told the audience, which included ever-present Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that Trump was a “mythical character.” Trump joked that he couldn’t get Musk out of his Mar-a-Lago resort. “He likes this place, I can’t get him out of here,” he said. “I like having him here as well. He’s done a fantastic job, an incredible mind.” Trump’s first recruitments — including secretary of state pick Marco Rubio, a traditional conservative on foreign policy — were seen as relatively mainstream choices. But then he caused concern even among some in the Republican Party as he appeared to put preference for personal loyalty above expertise or suitability. A major shock was naming Matt Gaetz — a firebrand Republican far-right figure in Congress who was drawn into a years-long criminal probe into sex trafficking — as future attorney general. Gaetz denies wrongdoing and has never faced charges but was still being investigated by the House Ethics Committee. That decision followed Trump’s nomination of former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard — who met Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad and echoes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talking points — to take charge of the nation’s most sensitive secrets as director of national intelligence. Trump recruited Pete Hegseth — a combat veteran who has no experience running large organizations but is a host on Trump’s favorite Fox News network — as defense secretary. Trump and his aides have vowed that much of his second term will be about clearing the deck of federal officials who acted as a restraining influence on his populist, right-wing agenda during his first term. Gaetz’s appointment would hand Trump, whose election likely means being freed from a string of serious criminal investigations, the advantage of a fierce partisan at the top of the Justice Department. He intends to place a third personal attorney at the department by nominating John Sauer as solicitor general, which represents the US government at the Supreme Court. Trump has repeatedly threatened to go after a variety of political opponents. [ad_2]){kind=link}
Donald Trump on Thursday (14) tapped anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his secretary of well being within the newest provocative nomination from the incoming Republican president.
“We wish you to give you issues and concepts and what you’ve been speaking about for a very long time and I feel you’re going to do some unbelievable issues,” Trump advised Kennedy Jr. throughout an occasion at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday (14) night.
Transferring shortly since his election final week, Trump has launched into a marketing campaign of political shock and awe as he rolls out an administration designed to upend — and in some circumstances actually dismantle — the US authorities.
I’m thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The USA Secretary of Well being and Human Providers (HHS). For too lengthy, Individuals have been crushed by the economic meals advanced and drug corporations who’ve engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024
A number of of Trump’s selections for high jobs — together with a TV information anchor on the helm of the Pentagon and an ally embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations for legal professional common — have unnerved the Washington institution.
Trump additionally introduced Thursday (14) that his private attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who defended him at trial this yr over hush cash funds to porn star Stormy Daniels, would function deputy attorneys common.
Kennedy, a scion of the well-known political household who’s popularly generally known as RFK Jr., is a longtime environmental campaigner who deserted a fringe bid for the presidency to endorse Trump in opposition to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Trump had stated beforehand he needed Kennedy to “go wild” in altering well being care and the 2 campaigned collectively promising to “Make America Wholesome Once more.”
If authorized by the Senate, which Trump’s Republican Get together controls, 70-year-old Kennedy will take over the Well being and Human Providers Division, a mammoth establishment with a funds of near $2 trillion.
In an announcement explaining his alternative, Trump echoed lots of Kennedy’s speaking factors, saying “Individuals have been crushed by the economic meals advanced and drug corporations who’ve engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation.”
The nomination may meet opposition, given Kennedy’s historical past of selling medical conspiracy theories — together with the disproven declare that childhood vaccines trigger autism — and saying that the Covid-19 vaccine was lethal.
He’s additionally burdened by a string of colourful and even weird tales from his private life.
These embody his assertion {that a} parasitic worm as soon as entered his “mind and ate a portion of it after which died.”
An admission this yr that he was behind the lengthy unsolved thriller of a lifeless bear dumped in New York’s Central Park a decade in the past raised eyebrows.
Trump has but to pick treasury and commerce chiefs, or an training secretary, whose division he desires to abolish.
Throughout the occasion in Mar-a-Lago on Thursday (14) night, he stated that rich North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum could be appointed secretary of the inside, placing him accountable for nationwide parks which might be opened to extra oil exploration.
“We’re going to slash vitality prices,” Trump advised the occasion organized by the America First Coverage Institute, the place he was launched by libertarian Argentinian President Javier Milei and Hollywood A-lister Sylvester Stallone.
“Rocky” star Stallone advised the viewers, which included ever-present Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that Trump was a “legendary character.”
Trump joked that he couldn’t get Musk out of his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“He likes this place, I can’t get him out of right here,” he stated. “I like having him right here as nicely. He’s finished a unbelievable job, an unbelievable thoughts.”
Trump’s first recruitments — together with secretary of state choose Marco Rubio, a conventional conservative on overseas coverage — have been seen as comparatively mainstream selections.
However then he brought on concern even amongst some within the Republican Get together as he appeared to place desire for private loyalty above experience or suitability.
A significant shock was naming Matt Gaetz — a firebrand Republican far-right determine in Congress who was drawn right into a years-long legal probe into intercourse trafficking — as future legal professional common.
Gaetz denies wrongdoing and has by no means confronted costs however was nonetheless being investigated by the Home Ethics Committee.
That call adopted Trump’s nomination of former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard — who met Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad and echoes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speaking factors — to take cost of the nation’s most delicate secrets and techniques as director of nationwide intelligence.
Trump recruited Pete Hegseth — a fight veteran who has no expertise operating massive organizations however is a number on Trump’s favourite Fox Information community — as protection secretary.
Trump and his aides have vowed that a lot of his second time period will likely be about clearing the deck of federal officers who acted as a restraining affect on his populist, right-wing agenda throughout his first time period.
Gaetz’s appointment would hand Trump, whose election doubtless means being free of a string of great legal investigations, the benefit of a fierce partisan on the high of the Justice Division.
He intends to position a 3rd private legal professional on the division by nominating John Sauer as solicitor common, which represents the US authorities on the Supreme Courtroom.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to go after quite a lot of political opponents.