'Promises made, promises kept!' RFK Jr lands top job in Donald Trump's White House as ex-President tips ally to address 'national crisis'

Sharing the news online, Trump Jr wrote: "Robert F Kennedy Jr will be The Secretary of Health and Human Services! Promises Made Promises Kept."

Confirming the appointment, Donald Trump took to social media to post: "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.

"The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and [the department of health and human services] 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."

The newly elected President said that 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".

John F Kennedy's nephew had originally run to be an independent presidential candidate but dropped out of the race, endorsing the Republican candidate in August instead.

Trump consequently pledged to give him a role in his next Cabinet ahead of his thumping victory against Kamala Harris on November 5.

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Kennedy - who had been previously tipped to be appointed to take on the key role in the next Trump administration - recently commented on the former President's diet during the election campaign, deeming it "really, like bad" and compared the fast food from KFC and McDonald's to "poison".

Kennedy's new department has control over several significant health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Kennedy is well-known for being outspoken over the anti-vaccine movement, founding the Children's Health Defense, which is a anti-vaccine NGO, and has campaigned against immunisations and water fluoridation.

Following his appointment, medical professionals have shared their concerns regarding a potential rise in medical misinformation.

In the past, the incoming Health Secretary has wrongly claimed that the vaccines administered in childhood cause autism, despite several medical studies having disproved this claim since.

Although the new President has not always gotten on with the Kennedy, Trump speculated on potentially appointing him to the top job last month, claiming that he would "make us a healthier place".

He added: "We're gonna let him go wild for a little while, then I'm gonna have to maybe rein him back, because he's got some pretty wild ideas, but most of them are really good.

"I think he's a good man, and he believes the environment, the healthy people. He wants healthy people, he wants healthy food. And he's going to do it. He's going to have a big chance to do it, because we do need that."