Former President Donald Trump has promised that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will “work on” women’s health issues if Vice President Kamala Harris is defeated in next week’s presidential election.
Kennedy, who suspended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed Trump in August, has a long history of promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regardless of Kennedy’s lack of medical training or experience, it is widely believed that he will hold a prominent health or medical position in a potential second Trump administration.
Trump hinted during a rally in Henderson, Nevada, on Thursday that he would allow Kennedy to play a major role in women’s health care if the former president wins a second term in the White House.
Former President Donald Trump, left, is photographed with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a rally in Duluth, Georgia, on October 23. Trump said Thursday that Kennedy “will work on health and women’s health” in… Former President Donald Trump Trump, left, is photographed with Robert Kennedy Jr. at a rally in Duluth, Georgia, on October 23. Trump said Thursday that Kennedy “will work on health and women’s health” in a potential second Trump administration. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) More
“We have Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” Trump said. “And it will work in health, women’s health. And all the different reasons. Because we’re not really a rich or healthy country. We’re not.”
He added: “I said to Bobby: ‘Bobby, I want you to take care of your health. I want you to look at food and the food supply and all kinds of things.'”
Newsweek reached out for comment on the Trump campaign via email Thursday evening.
The Harris campaign quickly attacked these statements, sharing a video along with a comment saying that Trump announced that he would appoint Kennedy “responsible” for women’s health in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The VP reshared the post and commented, “No.” [heart emoji]”In response.
The Harris campaign also shared with X a video of Kennedy saying he would be willing to sign a national ban on all abortions into law after three months.
Trump’s comments about Kennedy came a day after he faced angry backlash for pledging to “protect” women “whether women like it or not” during a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Harris criticized Trump’s comments during a rally in Phoenix on Thursday, saying the former president “simply does not respect women’s freedom or women’s intelligence to know what is in their best interest and make decisions accordingly.”
The Harris campaign linked Trump’s “like it or not” comment to abortion rights. Federal abortion rights were struck down by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, including three Trump appointees, leading to Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022.
Trump, who has reversed his anti-abortion stance amid this year’s election and says he supports several exceptions, also bragged that he was “able to kill Roe v. Wade” and falsely claimed that “every legal scholar” wants federal abortion. Rights abolished by the Supreme Court.
While Trump’s promise to “protect” women on Wednesday focused specifically on protections from “criminal immigrants” rather than abortion rights, the former president has previously tied his “protective” rhetoric to the issue.
In a comprehensive post to Truth Social on September 20, Trump predicted that women would “no longer consider abortion” because of his ability to “protect women on an unprecedented level.”
Updated 10/31/24, 11:16 p.m.: This article has been updated with more context and new information.
