President Donald Trump hosted an Oval Office swearing-in ceremony for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, commending his decide after what he known as a “very nasty” affirmation battle.
Trump heralded his “merger” with Kennedy’s 2024 marketing campaign and the backing of RFK Jr.’s supporters, whom he stated are “very loyal.”
“They believe in him so strongly because he’s a fierce advocate for the health of our children and for the values of free speech, democracy and peace,” he stated.
Trump introduced he would even be signing an govt order “establishing the President’s Commission to Make American Healthy Again” that may be chaired by Kennedy.
In the room: Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch administered Kennedy’s oath of workplace. Gorsuch, a conservative who was Trump’s first nominee to the nation’s highest courtroom, later instructed NCS in a press release that it was an “honor” to carry out the ceremony, and that he did so at RFK Jr.’s request.
“Since becoming a judge in 2006, many federal and state officials have asked me to swear them in and it is always an honor to be able to do so,” Gorsuch stated.
Kennedy’s spouse, actress Cheryl Hines, held the Bible, with different Kennedy members of the family in attendance.
Pressed by NCS’s Jeff Zeleny on his plans for the workplace, Kennedy vowed “radical transparency” and “getting rid of people” throughout the federal well being companies who’ve “conflicts of interest.”
Some context: Kennedy’s nomination was significantly controversial as a consequence of his long history of falsehoods about vaccines and different public well being points.
Kennedy, who stated Thursday that “God sent me President Trump” to assist him finish a childhood continual illness epidemic, has undergone a exceptional political evolution, from Democratic political candidate and fierce Trump critic to a member of the president’s Cabinet.
During his swearing-in, Kennedy mirrored on his first time within the Oval Office in 1962, assembly together with his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, concerning the atmosphere.
This publish has been up to date with extra feedback from Gorsuch.
NCS’s John Fritze contributed reporting to this publish.