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After weeks of debate and a confirmation process that could generously be described as “messy,” RFK Jr. was officially sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services last Thursday. The final vote? 52-48, with every Democrat opposed and just one Republican—Sen. Mitch McConnell—breaking ranks to vote against him.
For those who followed the confirmation hearings, this outcome wasn’t exactly a given. Kennedy’s long history of vaccine skepticism made his nomination controversial from the start, and his lack of expertise on Medicare and Medicaid raised red flags even among some conservatives. But in the end, his growing support within the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and Trump’s full backing sealed the deal.
So, what now?
Trump has promised to let RFK Jr. "go wild" on health, but the question remains: how much power does he actually have? His biggest focus so far has been America’s food system, particularly cracking down on food additives and ultra-processed foods—issues that, for once, have bipartisan support.
Here’s why this matters.
For decades, food safety advocates have warned that the FDA’s approach to food additives is fundamentally broken. Thanks to a 1958 law, the agency was supposed to oversee what chemicals entered the food supply. However, a loophole—the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) exemption—has allowed food companies to self-regulate, deciding for themselves which additives are safe. Even worse, since 1997, companies haven’t been required to notify the FDA about new additives.
That means no one—not even the FDA—fully knows what’s in the food supply. In fact, a 2022 analysis found that 99% of new food chemicals introduced since 2000 were approved by the food industry, not regulators.
What are we doing here?
Now that Kennedy is in charge of HHS, he actually has the authority to do something about this. He could push for new regulations requiring food companies to publicly disclose and submit their additives for review. He could also pressure Congress to reform the 1958 law, closing the GRAS loophole entirely.
And then there’s the Make America Healthy Again Commission, a new advisory group created by Trump and chaired by RFK Jr. Its mission? To investigate the root causes of chronic disease, starting with childhood health. The commission has been given 100 days to deliver a report summarizing what’s known about the crisis and 180 days to propose a strategy for change.
The big unknown is whether Kennedy can actually get anything done. His aggressive stance on food regulation stands in stark contrast to the typical anti-regulation bent of the Trump administration. While MAHA voters might want stricter food safety rules, the broader GOP—including many of Kennedy’s new colleagues—has historically been aligned with Big Food and Big Ag.
Then there’s the question of how Kennedy will work with newly confirmed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose job largely overlaps with his food policy ambitions. Rollins has already signaled that she’ll be a firewall against any policies that hurt the agriculture industry, which could make RFK Jr.’s reform agenda a tough sell.
The key takeaway? One thing is clear: Kennedy has completely shifted the conversation around food policy in a way that no HHS Secretary before him has. Whether you love him, hate him, or just find him fascinating, the fact that we’re finally having real discussions about food additives, diet-related diseases, and the role of government in nutrition is a massive shift.
Whether his tenure ends in sweeping reform or political gridlock, we’ll be keeping a close watch. Stay tuned.
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