Donald Trump's pledge to take drinking water advice from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist known for bizarre theories and stories — has political experts wondering what the former president is doing and health experts hoping it won't work, according to a new report.
Trump's comment last week that it sounded "okay" to heed Kennedy's calls to remove fluoride from tap water represents a rejection of political norms when it comes to closing out a presidential race, according to the Washington Post.
“Usually at the end of a long campaign, you try to close with a unifying, broadly appealing message,” Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist, told the Post. “Trump is doing the opposite — closing with the narrowest message possible.”
Despite the oddity, Kennedy doubled down on that outlier campaign message over the weekend by reportedly announcing Trump would seek to remove fluoride from water on Day 1, the Post reported.
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This is an example of what the Post describes as unconventional and unpopular ideas coming from Team Trump.
Such promises pit them against mainstream Americans and health experts who warn fluoride prevents mouth disease, particularly in vulnerable communities, according to the report.
“The real danger extends beyond politics to public health,” Kavita Patel, a physician and Brookings Institution fellow. “This rhetoric could erode trust in essential health measures, potentially leaving millions vulnerable if these ideas translate into policy.”
Fluoride's addition to American drinking water is normally praised as a great public health achievement — which may be why South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott did a metaphorical spit take when asked about it.
“I’m laughing," Scott said on CNN Sunday, "because I can’t believe that we’re having a conversation about fluoride."