‘Catastrophic:’ Senator Patty Murray condemns appointment of RFK Jr. to lead HHS

Washington Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, spoke out against President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement to select Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — also known as RFK Jr. — as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — the cabinet-level executive branch department created to protect the health of the U.S. people.

I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). 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…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024

More on Donald Trump’s cabinet: President-elect Donald Trump names Susie Wiles as chief of staff

“Donald Trump’s selection of a notorious anti-vaxxer to lead HHS could not be more dangerous — this is cause for deep concern for every American,” Murray said in an official statement. “There is no telling how far a fringe conspiracy theorist like RFK Jr. could set back America in terms of public health, reproductive rights, research and innovation and so much else. The consequences here are not theoretical or superficial — healthcare access, coverage, research and public health are life or death issues for people — and the COVID pandemic was an all too recent, all too painful reminder.”

Murray is also a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee — a committee with a broad jurisdiction over the U.S. health care, education, employment and retirement policies.

To be appointed as the head of HHS, a senate confirmation is required. HHS includes 13 agencies with a nearly $2 billion budget.

“The last time Donald Trump was president, he sent the uninsured rate skyrocketing and did quite possibly irreparable damage to trust in public health — and he has made clear he plans to do much worse in a second term, no matter the consequences,” Murray continued in her official statement. “Confirming RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary would be nothing short of a disaster for the health of millions of families. I urge my Senate Republican colleagues to join me in forcefully condemning and opposing this catastrophic nomination.”

Kennedy originally ran as a presidential candidate under the Independent Party in the 2024 general election, but bowed out in August in favor of supporting Trump in order to “join forces.”

“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “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.”

Trump has quickly announced several appointments for cabinet positions in his second term as president after winning the November election. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., was announced as the country’s next attorney general while Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors and the owner of X Corp., and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new government department — the Department of Government Efficiency — built around reducing wasteful federal spending.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will be the next secretary of state and South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has been named the next secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Pete Hegseth, who worked at Fox News until this week, was announced as the head of the Department of Defense and Matt Gaetz, who was a congressman in Florida until this week, has been nominated to be Trump’s attorney general.

Trump also announced Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold that position for any presidency.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.