Trump told reporters: 'I stand with Bobby. He's not afraid to challenge the establishment. He means well, and he's doing what he believes is right for the American people.'
Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccines, has taken sweeping steps since assuming office. His policies have included cutting funding for vaccine research, restricting access to COVID-19 vaccines, and dismissing top officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Appearing before the Senate, Kennedy defended his measures. 'For too long, our agencies have been captured by pharmaceutical interests,' he said. 'My mission is to restore transparency and give Americans the freedom to make their own choices.'
Kennedy's agenda has triggered dissent from within his own family. In a public statement, relatives including Joe Kennedy III and Kerry Kennedy urged him to resign.
'We love Bobby, but we cannot support policies that put public health at risk. His leadership is fostering confusion and weakening trust in science,' they said according tp reuters.
Public health experts also warn that Kennedy's actions could reverse decades of progress. A former CDC official said: 'Dismantling vaccine research and replacing experts with loyalists is a recipe for disaster. We risk losing decades of progress in immunization.'
Despite the backlash, Trump has continued to praise his health secretary. 'He's tough. He's independent. And he's not afraid to speak the truth,' the president said.
Kennedy, for his part, has vowed to stay the course. 'This is not about politics,' he said. 'This is about the health and freedom of Americans.'
Rania Umutoni
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/trump-supports-kennedy-s-vaccine-stance-despite-health-concerns
