Public Citizen Inc.

01/29/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/29/2025 13:55

Unqualified to be HHS Director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Indicates He Will Serve Trump, Not the American People

January 29, 2025

Unqualified to be HHS Director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Indicates He Will Serve Trump, Not the American People

WASHINGTON D.C. - Following his first confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee,Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has positioned himself as a lackey for Donald Trump and demonstrated that he is fundamentally unqualified to become secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Public Citizen Co-President Robert Weissman issued the following statement:

"Today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. showed nothing but disdain for the intelligence of the American people. He misrepresented his previous positions on numerous issues while continuing to endorse anti-science conspiracies, showed profound ignorance on basic facts and functions of HHS, and repeatedly said he would carry out President Trump's chaotic and dysfunctional orders. That dissembling and ignorance is par for the course for a conspiracist and anti-science crusader.

"In its first week, the Trump administration has shut down public health communications, demanded bad science (in the form of suppressing inclusive clinical trials), froze (and then unfroze) public health programs, and undermined vital overseas health initiatives. Kennedy's testimony only underscores that he will continue and perpetuate this chaotic, anti-public health agenda.

"Notably, in the face of a health care access and quality crisis, Kennedy suggested he favors restrictions on Medicaid that would deny care to millions and expansion of privatized Medicare, which is delivering inferior care and already costing taxpayers nearly $100 billion annually in excess costs.

"There is not one senator who believes Robert F. Kennedy is qualified to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and no senator should vote for his confirmation."