Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a possible candidate for a role in Donald Trump’s cabinet, should Trump retake the White House — claims that a new Trump administration would immediately advise against the use of fluoride in U.S. public water systems.
Kennedy, a former presidential candidate who has endorsed Trump and a prominent vaccine skeptic, suggested this would happen on the first day of a new Trump administration.
For decades, U.S. health regulators have recommended adding a small amount of fluoride to drinking water supplies to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride at such a low dose is generally considered both safe and effective to protect oral health.
“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,” Kennedy posted Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Kennedy’s remarks.
Trump and Kennedy, an environmental lawyer who tried to walk back his criticism of the COVID vaccine during his presidential campaign, have both floated a health-focused role for him — possibly a post commanding health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At his rally last weekend at Madison Square Garden, Trump said he would let Kennedy “go wild on health, … go wild on the medicines.” On Friday in Nevada, Trump said Kennedy would also be “in charge of women’s health.”
Kennedy, according to a video obtained by CNN, told supporters he might be given control of more than one health-focused agency.
“President Trump has promised me … control of the public health agencies, which are [the Health and Human Services Department] and its sub-agencies … and then also the [Department of Agriculture], which is key to making America healthy. Because we’ve got to get off of seed oils, and we’ve got to get off of pesticide-intensive agriculture,” Kennedy reportedly said.