RFK’s Promise to “Make America Healthy Again”

When President Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, he will have already put most of his cabinet appointments in place. While some appointees will be subject to Congressional approval, many of the names that are associated with various departments have already been announced.

One such name is Robert F. Kennedy, who President Trump has announced will head up the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

While RFK ran on an independent platform during the election, he was quite vocal in his support of Donald Trump, who became the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms in the Oval Office. Much of RFK’s campaign focused on the overall health and wellness of the US population, which resulted in his being announced as the Director of the DHHS.

While President Trump has long declared that he would “Make America Great Again,” Kennedy took a stance focused on his promise to “Make America Healthy Again.” What can we expect this to look like in practice, and how will RFK’s promise change life in the United States?

Who is Robert F. Kennedy?

Robert F. Kennedy is the nephew of John F. Kennedy and the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated in the 1960s. While many people expected RFK Jr. to jump straight into the political arena, he instead pursued work as an environmental lawyer and focused heavily on children’s health.

After founding the Children’s Health Defense, Kennedy focused most of his efforts on addressing chronic disease among children and exposure to toxic materials.

Kennedy’s experience in the legal world landed him in the middle of some of the most prominent environmental cases the world has ever seen, including cases in Latin America, Canada, and the United States, including a 2019 victory against DuPont.

While he entered politics much later than his father and uncle, RFK eventually found himself rising to prominence where he used his voice to continue advocating for clean water, children’s health and safety, and more.

His appointment as the Director of the DHHS came as a surprise to some, but he brings a different perspective to a department that focuses heavily on some of the same things that Kennedy built his career on.

What is the DHHS?

According to the Department of Health and Human Services website, the mission of the federal department is, "to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services."

The DHHS is responsible for overseeing 11 governmental departments, including the Food and Drug Administration, the department that is responsible for, "clinical investigations of products under its jurisdiction, such as drugs, biological products, and medical devices." The DHHS also oversees the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Finally, the DHHS is responsible for enforcing laws pertaining to health and wellness, such as those that were enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also assumes control of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid.

RFK has been quite critical of the DHHS in the past. In October 2024, he tweeted a scathing outlook on the department during which he declared that “the FDA’s war on public health is about to end.” He ended the tweet by telling employees of the FDA to “preserve their records and pack their bags.”

Kennedy’s claims about the corruption and mismanagement in the CDC and FDA are based on what he perceives as a conflict of interest, stating that both departments are too closely aligned with big pharma and the food industry.

Now that he’ll be responsible for both departments, Kennedy will have an opportunity to rectify the issues that he has discussed so openly in the past. How does he plan to put his “Make America Healthy Again” concept into motion?

What Are RFK’s Major Goals as the Director of the DHHS?

You can visit RFK’s Make America Healthy Again website to find more information about his goals, but we’ve put together a summary of the major points.

Fluoride Debate

In the name of improving the water quality for Americans across the nation, Kennedy has stated that “we don’t need fluoride.” He believes that municipalities that use fluoride in their water treatment processes are doing more harm than good to residents.

While some of his comments have drawn the ire of existing organizations, decrying the use of fluoride has actually received support from the National Toxicology Department, another entity that is under the purview of the DHHS.

Fluoride has been found useful in protecting dental health, but Kennedy, and the NTD, believe that there are better, safer ways to get the substance into the mouths of American citizens.

Ultimately, Kennedy will not be allowed to mandate the removal of fluoride on the local level. However, since there is now an abundance of fluoride in beverages, toothpaste, and other substances, there is some fear that children and pregnant women are getting more fluoride than they need.

Kennedy has vowed to show water municipalities “good science” before encouraging them to lower the amount of fluoride in drinking water or remove it altogether.

No Food Additives

One of Kennedy’s most prevalent promises has focused on the food industry, which he claims is simply not doing enough to protect America’s children. Instead, he believes that the additives that are being used in foods are poison.

One of the foods that Kennedy has cited most often is Froot Loops, the popular breakfast cereal. Citing the differences in ingredients used in the Canadian version of the cereal as compared to the American version, Kennedy pointed to the multiple dyes that are used in the version that Americans eat.

Once again, some of the leading voices in the world of nutritional science have shared their support for Kennedy’s stance on the topic.

The message shared on the front page of the MAHA website states, "One of MAHA’s top priorities is the elimination of harmful chemicals and toxins from America’s food, water, and air. MAHA advocates for comprehensive testing and monitoring of environmental toxins to ensure that all Americans have access to clean, safe, and healthy living conditions."

This is where some onlookers and commentators are a bit confused as President Trump has already announced his plans to repeal some of the EPA regulations that were put into place to focus on those things.

Kennedy has a special interest in the farming industry, where he claims that crop subsidies have resulted in many of the crops that are grown in the US becoming available in processed forms. Per his reports, RFK says that less than 2% of the farm subsidies available go to fruits and vegetables.

Limit SNAP Benefits

Kennedy has also shared plans to overhaul the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is used by more than 40 million Americans. He wants to stop allowing SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase junk food and soda.

According to data published in 2011, 9% of all SNAP funds are used to purchase sweetened drinks, which Kennedy says results in billions of dollars being spent to harm the health of low-income Americans.

Will Kennedy Make America Healthy Again?

Kennedy is certainly not the first DHHS director to come into office with plans to overhaul the current system. However, he may be the most committed to bringing his plans to fruition.

Since the Republicans have control of the House and the Senate, RFK should have an easier time finding the support for his desired changes than he would’ve faced if the Democrats had earned a majority in either.

RFK has the support of President Trump, who has vowed to allow him to pursue his objectives with minimal interference from the White House.