Trump suggests he would be open to RFK Jr.'s proposal to ban vaccines if elected | US elections 2024

Donald Trump has suggested that vaccines could be banned if he becomes president, in the clearest sign yet of a radical shift in public health policy if he puts his ally Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge.

Trump told NBC on Sunday that Kennedy, the anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist and former independent candidate who dropped out and endorsed Trump, would play a “big role in the administration” if he wins Tuesday's presidential election. Trump said he would talk to Kennedy about vaccinations.

Kennedy has repeatedly claimed that vaccinations cause autism in children, a theory that scientists have refuted.

He also said in recent days that Trump had promised him control of a wide range of health agencies when he returned to the White House, potentially enabling him to implement his most radical theories.

Trump did not contradict that claim and kept open the possibility of banning certain vaccines.

“Well, I'll talk to him and other people and make a decision, but he's a very talented guy and has strong views,” the Republican candidate told NBC.

He also appeared to make good on Kennedy's vow, made on social media last Friday, to ban fluoride in water supplies, a practice that public health experts advocate as useful in combating dental disease. Kennedy called fluoride “industrial waste” and claimed it was linked to cancer. Health groups insist it is safe.

When asked by NBC about his opinion on eliminating water fluoridation, Trump said, “Well, I haven't talked to him about it yet, but it sounds OK to me. You know, it's possible.”

Kennedy, who sits on Trump's transition team, claimed last week that he had been promised “control” of a number of public health and food safety agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ministry of Food and Drug Administration.

Trump did not comment specifically on the responsibilities Kennedy might bear, but said at a rally at New York's Madison Square Garden last week that he would let him “go wild on food” and “go wild on medication” if he wins the election win.

Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of Trump's campaign, further underscored the importance that Kennedy's views could have in a Trump administration when he told CNN that he could be granted access to federal data on vaccine safety. He also appeared to support Kennedy's views on the alleged risks of vaccines.

“He says, 'If you give me the data, all I want is the data, and I'm going to take the data and show that it's not safe,'” Lutnick said. “Let’s give him the data. I think it would be pretty cool to give him the data. Let's see what he comes up with. I think it’s pretty fun.”

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