In case you had not noticed the hysterical reaction, Robert F. Kennedy Junior (RFK Jr.) has been nominated as Donald Trump’s Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. As anticipated, the ‘Leftstream media’ and public health lobby have mobilized to undermine his nomination, sharpening their knives in hopes of derailing the Senate approval process.
The nomination process can be drawn out, and its outcome is far from guaranteed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting, “I do not anticipate a smooth road for each nominee.” Should RFK Jr.’s nomination fail, Trump could resort to a ‘recess appointment,’ a less favorable alternative allowing the President to appoint officials while the Senate is in recess. However, this method limits the appointment’s duration to the end of the Senate’s next session—an undesirable contingency.
Meanwhile, the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Global Health Now (GHN) newsletter at Johns Hopkins University—known for its questionable contributions to medical discourse—has ramped up its criticism of RFK Jr. Its November 26 issue excelled in targeting him, featuring four links under their ‘The Latest’ column criticizing potential health policy changes under Trump. Unsurprisingly, none of these links portrayed RFK Jr. positively.
One article from The Guardian went so far as to associate RFK Jr. with a measles outbreak and related deaths in Samoa, based on a visit he made to the island in 2019. Journalist Michelle Duff’s attempt to link these tragedies to RFK Jr. is desperate at best. RFK Jr. has consistently denied promoting anti-vaccine views, being anti-vaccine, or advising against the measles vaccine. Moreover, the root cause of vaccine hesitancy in Samoa predated RFK Jr.’s visit, stemming from a 2018 incident where two children tragically died after receiving a misadministered vaccine dissolved in a muscle relaxant instead of distilled water.
Duff further accuses RFK Jr. of spreading misinformation about a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, but her evidence is tenuous. While RFK Jr. has been quoted advising against certain vaccinations, it is unclear whether these comments pertain to measles or more recent COVID-19 vaccines.
Regardless of the MMR-autism debate, data presented by Dr Ros Jones last year highlight that reductions in measles mortality were achieved long before vaccines were introduced. Between 1900 and 1965, measles deaths declined by 100%, with the measles vaccine only introduced in 1968. While measles can lead to adverse outcomes, vaccines cannot solely be credited with eradicating measles-related deaths.
Other outlets like Bloomberg, AP, and Axios have also joined the fray, expressing concern about RFK Jr.’s potential influence on vaccine policy. Their worries include increased scrutiny of vaccine regulations, enhanced accountability at the CDC, and the potential removal of legal immunity for vaccine manufacturers. Astonishingly, these possibilities are framed as negatives, revealing the entrenched mindset of public health officials and their corporate allies. The underlying message seems to be: “Leave us alone, nothing to see here, we know best.”
Now, more than ever, the United States—and indeed, the world—needs a leader like RFK Jr. to challenge the entrenched interests of Big Pharma, public health bureaucrats, and authoritarian forces that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their unyielding pursuit of control has made RFK Jr.’s leadership not only timely but essential.
Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He is a columnist with Unity News Network and writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.
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Don’t put too much trust in the integrity of politicians, especially US ones from frankly dodgy dynasties, they will only disappoint.
Fair comment. I am disappointed at RFKs position on Climate Change. We will never get everything we want from any politician. Though it could be added that such is the depth of corruption in the political and corporate sector in America (and here in the UK too) that RFK was one of the very few who stuck his head above the parapet exposing the Covid scam at the heart of government and big pharma thus , he may be as good a candidate as anyone to be part of Trumps team.