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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Considers Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Lead CDC or FDA in 2024 Presidential Campaign

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Considers Naming Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Key Health Positions

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing backlash after expressing his consideration to appoint anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if he were to win the White House in 2024. DeSantis made these remarks during an interview on the popular “OutKick” podcast.

DeSantis’ Controversial Statement

During the podcast, DeSantis suggested that if he were to become president, he would “sic” Kennedy on the FDA or the CDC, indicating his willingness to appoint him to a key health position. However, DeSantis clarified that he would not choose Kennedy as his running mate in the upcoming presidential race.

Neither the DeSantis campaign nor the Kennedy campaign has responded to queries from Agency regarding this matter.

Criticism of Kennedy’s Anti-Vaccine Stance

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent decades espousing false claims about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He has become a vocal critic of COVID-19 vaccines, making baseless allegations about their development and even suggesting that the virus was engineered to be less harmful to specific ethnic groups.

DeSantis’ Shifting Stance on COVID Vaccines

Interestingly, DeSantis had initially supported COVID vaccines and actively promoted their distribution to healthcare workers and the elderly in December 2020. However, as vaccine supplies increased and anti-vaccine sentiments gained traction within the Republican Party, DeSantis ceased his efforts to encourage vaccination.

This shift in stance had severe consequences for Florida, as the state experienced a spike in COVID deaths in late 2021 with the emergence of the highly transmissible delta variant. Florida also earned the unfortunate distinction of having more COVID deaths after vaccines became widely available than before.

Continued Attacks on Medical and Pharmaceutical Communities

Despite the negative outcomes of his anti-vaccine stance, DeSantis has persisted in criticizing the medical and pharmaceutical communities for endorsing vaccines. He has enacted laws prohibiting vaccine mandates as a condition of employment and established a special grand jury to investigate vaccine manufacturers.

DeSantis’ Struggling Presidential Campaign

DeSantis entered the presidential race with high expectations among Republicans seeking a fresh face to move beyond the controversies surrounding former President Donald Trump. However, his polling numbers have significantly declined since his November reelection, both nationally and in early state surveys.

To cut costs and reorganize the campaign, DeSantis recently downsized his staff by almost half. These measures aim to improve his chances of securing the Republican nomination and ultimately winning the presidency.

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Adrian Ovalle
Adrian Ovalle
Adrian is working as the Editor at World Weekly News. He tries to provide our readers with the fastest news from all around the world before anywhere else.

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