Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has become a central force in President Donald Trump’s domestic policy strategy, expanding his influence far beyond traditional health matters into food programs, environmental regulations, and public wellness initiatives.
Adam Cancryn and Marcia Brown report for POLITICO.
In short:
- RFK Jr’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement has become vital to Trump’s 2025 political strategy, broadening Kennedy’s role across multiple federal agencies.
- Kennedy’s initiatives include efforts to ban soda purchases with food stamps, challenge pesticide use, and reassess fluoride regulations, drawing both praise and internal administration tensions.
- Despite high visibility and strong supporter enthusiasm, Kennedy faces internal skepticism due to his limited policymaking experience and controversial views on vaccines and chronic disease management.
Key quote:
Everyone sees a need to deliver for those MAHA voters, because it’s a new coalition. You could actually close the gender gap and maintain the margins Trump got with young people.”
— White House official
Why this matters:
Kennedy’s expansive approach to health policy signals a possible shift in how the federal government could tackle chronic disease, food safety, and environmental exposures over the next several years. His focus on wellness and distrust of chemical and industrial corporate influences reflects growing public concerns over diet, pollution, and long-term illness risks. Yet his controversial positions, especially around vaccines and environmental toxins, could deepen political divides and complicate scientific policymaking.
Broader health initiatives that involve agriculture, nutrition, and pesticide regulation could reshape standards that affect millions of Americans, from schoolchildren to low-income families relying on food assistance. At the same time, the Trump administration is implementing massive cuts to federal research, including at the Kennedy-led Department of Health and Human Services. Will the administration oversee major shifts in health and environmental protections, or deepen the mistrust between government institutions and the public they serve?
Related EHN coverage: Opinion: RFK Jr.’s disinformation is a rallying cry for women in STEM
