Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., two months into his tenure leading the Department of Health and Human Services, appears quite busy. In recent weeks, for example, the conspiracy theorist carried out brutal mass layoffs across much of the agency he ostensibly leads. He also claims he scrambled to rehire many of those same officials who, it turns out, held important positions.
Of course, that’s just the tip of an incredibly damaging iceberg. RFK Jr. has also recently failed to address a measles outbreak. And forced out Dr. Peter Marks, who oversaw the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine division as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, who opposed Kennedy’s “misinformation and lies” about vaccine safety. And Kennedy decimated the agency leading the federal response to the opioid crisis.
The health secretary also reportedly pressed officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find evidence that bolstered his own weird beliefs. And abruptly canceled $12 billion in federal grants to states that were being used for important public-health priorities. And forced out top vaccine regulators at the FDA. And put lifesaving health programs at risk at the CDC.
Not surprisingly, Kennedy continues to add to the list. The Washington Post reported that the Cabinet secretary with deeply weird ideas about science and medicine is now directing the CDC to change its recommendation regarding fluoride in drinking water.
Most Americans drink fluoridated water. The CDC for years has recommended that small amounts of fluoride be added to community water systems to prevent cavities. But Kennedy has assailed the practice of community water fluoridation, alleging that it can harm brain development and bones. In an email on Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services said it ‘is reconvening the community preventative services task force to study and make a new recommendation on fluoride.’ The task force will then issue a new recommendation, the agency added.
Public health experts have warned for years that such a shift would open the door to increased dental disease, especially in low-income communities. But the guy who thinks wi-fi causes cancer and “leaky brain” is apparently unconvinced.
As regressive as his latest effort is, nothing about Kennedy’s move is surprising. Not only has he long taken aim at fluoride in drinking water, but in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s 2024 victory, Kennedy told NBC News, “I think fluoride is on its way out.”
Around the same time, Trump added that such a move “sounds OK to me.” A couple of days before Election Day 2024, Sen. Tim Scott chuckled to himself in response to a question from CNN’s Dana Bash about eliminating fluoride from water. “I’m laughing because I can’t believe that we’re having a conversation about fluoride,” the South Carolina Republican replied. But we’re still “having a conversation about fluoride” because Trump thought it’d be a good idea to nominate Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and 52 Senate Republicans — including Tim Scott — thought it’d be a good idea to confirm him. Even if we assume that the HHS “task force” makes a new recommendation in line with Kennedy’s wishes, it will still fall to state and municipal governments to decide how best to proceed. The more state and local officials agree to keep fluoridated drinking water, the better off the public will be.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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