What Kind of Damage Can RFK, Jr. Actually Do as HHS Secretary?

Yesterday, after Donald Trump announced his nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Jake Tapper quipped, “I hope you like your measles.” The remark referenced the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa, exacerbated by RFK Jr.’s spread of vaccine misinformation.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a well-known opponent of vaccines. He has repeatedly and wrongly claimed that vaccines cause autism, that COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous, and that antidepressants have contributed to mass school shootings. His advocacy extends to promoting debunked treatments and “alternative” health solutions like ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and raw milk. Kennedy’s leadership at HHS would be disastrous for one key reason: he doesn’t just spread conspiracy theories, he believes them. When he discusses vaccine science, he often misinterprets or misuses discredited academic research to support his claims, but those who are skeptical of the government, eat it up.

Kennedy would also struggle to command respect within the Department of Health and Human Services. The department’s workforce, comprising doctors and scientists, relies on evidence-based policies. While Kennedy could attempt to fill positions with loyalists, finding competent professionals who share his fringe views would likely prove difficult. His tenure at HHS could mirror the dysfunction of a Matt Gaetz-led Department of Justice.

The greatest concern is how RFK Jr. might handle a future public health crisis. If faced with another emergency like COVID-19, his leadership could prove catastrophic. Moreover, while Kennedy claims he doesn’t want to ban vaccines but instead promote “parental choice,” his rhetoric risks undermining public trust in vaccines.

Vaccine policy in the U.S. is largely determined by states and private entities, and federal bans are unlikely given recent Supreme Court rulings curbing federal mandates. This decentralized approach could create a de facto experiment under RFK. Blue states would likely maintain vaccine requirements for schoolchildren, while red states might relax them, allowing us to witness the consequences of Kennedy’s ideas. This grim “controlled study” could result thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths, but at least they’re not getting gender reassignment surgery!

We’ve already seen examples of what happens in vaccine-skeptical communities. Waldorf schools, which attract anti-vaccine parents, often experience outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles and chickenpox. Some red states could become macrocosms of these schools. Basically, RFK wants to impose the values of California wine country onto the rest of the country. No vaccines, but also: No processed foods, no red dye, and no seed oils. He’ll be pushing anti-obesity regulations, not unlike Michelle Obama under her husband’s administration. But again, the federal government is limited here mostly to messaging. But if that message is to eat fewer meals from McDonalds, that would be great, if not for the fact that parents won’t have time to cook because they’ll be too busy taking care of their kids sick with measles.

In short: If Kennedy is confirmed, we’ll still be able to vaccinate our children. But if Kennedy’s vision takes root, we may face not only a rollback of decades of public health progress but also the chaos of mixed messaging, inconsistent policies, and avoidable public health crises. It would be a particularly ironic disaster considering that many believe Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is what cost him the 2020 election.