President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on November 14, 2026, the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. HHS directs 13 operational divisions; its scope includes FDA, CDC, NIH, and CMS. Kennedy, 70, established his career as an environmental litigation attorney before mounting an independent bid for the presidency, which he suspended in August to endorse Trump.
President-elect Trump highlighted Kennedy's commitment to investigating chronic childhood illnesses and food system safety standards. President-elect Trump stated: "For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health." Throughout the presidential campaign, Kennedy championed his "Make America Healthy Again" platform, advocating for restrictions on direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical television advertisements and reductions in ultra-processed foods served in federally subsidized school nutrition programs.
The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index declined more than 2.5 percent, while equity shares of Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax experienced downward trading between 4 and 6 percent during afternoon sessions.
Congressional leaders prepared for confirmation proceedings before the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. With Republicans commanding a 53-seat majority in the incoming Senate, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska stated to reporters that they intend to conduct thorough, structured questioning regarding Kennedy's past public statements on childhood immunization programs and biomedical consensus. Senate Democratic leadership and professional medical organizations expressed concern that skepticism toward established vaccines could disrupt routine childhood immunization coverage and undermine public trust in national health institutions. Kennedy has frequently pledged to reform institutional advisory committees and address revolving-door employment transitions between regulatory agencies and commercial pharmaceutical enterprises.
