Dem
47
GOP
53
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thought that by dropping out of the race for president and endorsing Trump, he could get in the candidate's good graces. It doesn't work like that. Yes, he was nominated for secretary of HHS, but that is just transactional: You endorse me and I'll give you a job. It doesn't mean Trump will listen to Kennedy. Not at all. That is already becoming clear.
Kennedy has strong views on vaccines, but also on other subjects. He believes that sugar, soybeans, corn, and other farm products are poisoning Americans. He sees obesity and chronic disease as huge problems. Consequently, he wants a comrade-in-arms, a secretary of agriculture who will join with him and take on Big Ag. Kennedy even drew up a list of possible candidates, vetted them, and gave them to Trump. On the list were Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who wants to slash aid to farmers, and Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller (R). Upon taking office, one of Miller's first actions was to rescind a ban on public schools serving fried foods and soft drinks for lunch.
It hasn't been reported whether Trump thanked RFK Jr. before putting the list in the circular file. This shows that Trump really has no interest in MAHA—Make America Healthy Again. And he certainly has no interest in taking Kennedy's advice on anything. It was simply a transaction: your support for a job in the administration. Other cabinet-level officials should take note of this: Offer advice to Trump only when he requests it.
Instead of any of Kennedy's choices, Trump picked attorney Brooke Rollins. She has a bachelor's degree from Texas A & M, with a major in agricultural development, but no actual experience in agriculture. After graduating law school, she worked for a Texas law firm, then had a minor position in Trump v1.0 advising the president on technology. After he left office, she formed a nonprofit called American First Policy Institute and was CEO of it. It was founded to promote Trump's agenda. Above all, she is a Trump loyalist. That's what matters. Whether she can tell a cow from a soybean does not matter at all.
Big Ag does not want Kennedy to be within a country mile of food policy. Rollins is not likely to rock the boat, not that the average Nebraska corn farm has many boats. To the extent she has a bee in her bonnet, it is her opposition to wealthy Chinese people buying up U.S. farmland, especially farmland near military bases where it could be a base for spying. She can expect Trump's full support on that. As to Kennedy's wish to tackle obesity, well, fat chance of that.
Kennedy hasn't even been confirmed yet—and may not be—but he is already onto the grifting part of the job, with his MAHA brand of products. He even appears in one of the videos, with his wife, Cheryl Hines. And at least she is fully clothed. (V)