President-elect Donald Trump shocked Washington Thursday by nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his secretary of Health and Human Services.

The latest appointment to a rapidly growing cabinet and West Wing packed with loyalists new and old immediately sent shockwaves through the public health sector given Kennedy’s reputation as an anti-vaxxer who has pushed conspiracy theories about a number of health-related topics.

The 70-year-old husband of actress Cheryl Hines has railed against processed foods, vowed to remove fluoride from public water systems and suggested COVID was engineered to be ‘ethnically targeted.’

‘I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),’ Trump posted on X.

DailyMail.com previously reported that Dr. Ben Carson – a respected surgeon turned 2016 presidential candidate – was in the mix, though Trump had also said he would let Kennedy ‘go wild’ on federal health agencies.

Kennedy had boosted Trump’s 2024 run by suspending his independent presidential campaign the day after the Democratic National Convention wrapped up in August – telling his supporters to back the Republican in key swing states.

Kennedy later embraced Trump even more – telling his supporters across the U.S. to back Trump instead – arguing they had a vision to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’

‘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 said.

The controversial pick comes just a day after Trump stunned Democrats and Republicans alike with his seemingly sudden choice of Matt Gaetz to be U.S. attorney general.

Gaetz, who resigned his seat as a Florida congressman hours after Wednesday’s announcement amid a roiling probe by the House Ethics Committee into allegations of 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual misconduct, illicit drug use and bribery.

He is a MAGA firebrand who has taken aim at fellow House members form both parties and led the coup against former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Republican senators have publicly and privately expressed shock over the nomination.

Meanwhile, of Kennedy heading his Health agency, Trump said Thursday: ‘The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.

‘Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!’ he added.

Trump had promised an advisor role for the member of the Kennedy political dynasty, but now he will be responsible for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential services.

The move from the Republican could likely set up another battle in the Senate over his nominations, after he chose Rep. Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence and Fox News host Pete Hegseth to run the Department of Defense.

It is another sign that Trump intends to completely upend the establishment in the federal government and fill his White House with prominent political allies.

Kennedy launched his presidential bid in April 2023 as a Democrat – but when he didn’t get much traction in the party, announced a independent run that October.

He’s the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy, who were both assassinated in the 1960s.

RFK Jr. reached out to Trump about a potential endorsement on the heels of the president-elect’s own brush with death by a gunman in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th.

Kennedy then traveled to Milwaukee while the Republican National Convention was happening in the days following the July shooting, but cancelled planned counter-programming for his own presidential run as he started up a dialog about joining Trump’s team.

In a call – that was fantastically leaked by Kennedy’s own son Robert F. Kennedy III – Trump is heard floating that he could see a role in a future Trump administration for RFK Jr.

‘I would love you to do stuff,’ Trump said. ‘And I think it would be so big for you.’

Kennedy officially made the announcement the day after Vice President Kamala Harris officially became the Democratic nominee, knocking some wind out of her sails.

The majority of his famous family was supporting President Joe Biden – and then Harris once Biden dropped out – with his siblings putting out multiple statements throughout the election cycle expressing their anger and disappointment.

As Kennedy campaigned, he was trailed by curious anecdotes from his past – that a brain worm had embedded itself into his head, that he might have eaten dog in South Korea – which he says was goat in Patagonia – that he disposed of a dead bear cub in Central Park.

He plucked his vice presidential candidate Nicole Shanahan from the pages of the tabloids – as the ex-wife of billionaire Google co-founder Sergey Brin who reportedly had a marriage-ending tryst with Elon Musk – something both she and Musk deny.

Now Musk is a key player in Trumpland.

Even after Kennedy bowed out he was followed by drama.

In September, it was revealed that New York Magazine’s top Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was put on leave after confessing to a digital-only affair with RFK.

Nuzzi has since parted ways with the magazine but is still producing headlines over the legal battle with her ex-fiance, Politico Playbook’s Ryan Lizza, after breaking up over the Kennedy revelations.