Vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now in charge of the U.S. Health Department – 23 resounding facepalms
If there’s one thing we’ve learnt since Donald Trump took office, it’s that there really is no idea so stupid and harmful, or a person so unsuited for the position Trump wants them to take, that Republicans will not support it – against the good of the country.
The latest proof of that is the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – RFK Jr. – to the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services, voted in by the cursed ratio – 52 to 48.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as Trump's health secretary by the Senate.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 13, 2025
They wasted no time in getting him sworn in – presumably so that he can get on with banning fluoride from the water, or making America’s vaccine programmes opt-in.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is sworn in as Secretary of Health & Human Services pic.twitter.com/pfYNsUB8Xc
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 13, 2025
Despite the largescale rejection of RFK Jr.’s political and personal choices by his family, he had the brass neck to invoke the memory of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, in his first public comment after confirmation of the appointment.
Thank you, President Trump. As a boy, I sat in the Oval Office where my uncle led on the issues of health and fitness. And now, six decades later, I stand with a transformational leader who fully grasps the public health crisis our great nation faces. I couldn’t be more thrilled… pic.twitter.com/jnuRksNmJ6
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) February 14, 2025
While the Chicken Pox Party Planners on Mumsnet may have let out a cheer, people who’d rather not see the U.S. – and the world – engulfed in a wave of deadly but preventable diseases were understandably glum.
Here are some things they’ve been saying.
1.
Polio and measles seeing that RFK Jr. just got confirmed to HHS https://t.co/ZvkjuLdt8X pic.twitter.com/gD3ltmTsY7
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) February 13, 2025
2.
RFK Jr. was just confirmed by the Senate for HHS Secretary.
The guy who dropped a dead bear cub in Central Park and strapped a severed whale's head to his family minivan.
God help us all. pic.twitter.com/YNLfUh7nS7
— Art Candee (@ArtCandee) February 13, 2025
3.
Once again, the raging malice & belligerent incompetence of Trump's administration will result in a lot of Americans needlessly dying. https://t.co/u6imJ3etWz
— Dan McClellan (@maklelan) February 13, 2025
4.
Just got a sneaky little feeling that RFK Jr won't actually make America healthy again
Call it a hunch.
— Neil Stone (@DrNeilStone) February 13, 2025
5.
Putting RFK Jr in charge of our nation’s health is like putting Jeffrey Epstein in charge of child safety.
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) February 13, 2025
6.
Let this be a lesson to the kids out there… if you put a dead bear cub in Central Park you too could become Health Secretary. pic.twitter.com/w9fWjaOmwy
— Jason Selvig (@jasonselvig) February 13, 2025
7.
Congratulations America #MAHA pic.twitter.com/PSZxF0Qg12
— Mister Race Bannon (@MrRaceBannon) February 13, 2025
8.
And here I was, hoping to not die from a pox. https://t.co/yHXJUH5bht
— Hil.i.am (@hilaryluros) February 13, 2025
9.
It's staggering to consider the number of people who will become gravely ill or die because of RFK Jr.'s appointment to HHS Secretary.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) February 13, 2025
10.
Congratulations America!
We have a heroin addict who had half his brain eaten by a fucking worm as our Secretary of Health
What could possibly go wrong? pic.twitter.com/SITbr1NoEi
— Travis Matthew (@Matthewtravis08) February 13, 2025
11.
I do think if you buy into RFK Jr. at all, you're stupid not just for like a modern person but stupid for someone alive during like Teddy Roosevelt
— Mr. Chau (@Srirachachau) February 13, 2025
12.
Susan Collins texting RFK Jr. pic.twitter.com/XcpmVSVjIl
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) February 13, 2025