LGBTQ+ advocates worry a blitz of state prohibitions on gender transition care for minors will go national because of Kennedy’s past comments.

As HHS secretary, Kennedy has the authority, working with the FDA commissioner, to reorganize the agency without congressional approval. He says he wants to fully eliminate “entire departments” at the FDA, listing as a top target the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, which he says can’t be trusted to do its job.

RFK Jr. is controversial due to his vaccine skepticism, but nearly half of Americans backed him for HHS secretary.