Trump reins in RFK Jr as new law cripples health secretary's core vow: report
RFK Jr is being reined in by Donald Trump who believes the Department of Health and Human Services has pushed the health industry too far, according to a report.
Analysis from Politico writer Amanda Chu suggests a split between the president and the health services head, who has made his thoughts on vaccinations and processed foods clear in recent weeks. But the administration has waded in with overarching changes to hinder RFK Jr, as a Trump's signature Big Beautiful Bill law looks to put a stop to some of the health secretary's moves.
Chu wrote, "Kennedy sees America’s medical schools as bastions of groupthink that ignore the root causes of disease. But newly proposed caps on student loans that stem from the law would favor establishment institutions over nontraditional schools aligned with Kennedy’s view that Americans are sicker than ever because of what they eat, the chemicals they’re exposed to, and how little exercise they get."
Caps on student loans, however, favor establishment schools over non-traditional ones backed by Kennedy, according to the report.
"The contrarians, including nontraditional schools that train naturopathic physicians and herbalists, are making a last-ditch pitch to keep the federal funds flowing," Politico reported.
"But they are finding Kennedy’s desire to punch holes in the medical establishment is running up against the Education Department, which must find cost savings to pay for tax cuts under the Republican law.
"The affected schools argue students won’t be able to attend under the proposed loan caps."
RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has also taken a blow after he backed a statement from the president earlier this week.
While the Health and Human Services head may be against processed foods, he backed a recent Trump order to promote the production of glyphosate. RFK Jr had, in 2024, promised to ban the chemical found in weed killer, should he assume power.
He said, "Donald Trump’s executive order puts America first where it matters most—our defense readiness and our food supply. We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it."
Ariel Gonzalez, a Vogel Group lobbyist, told Politico she believes the administration heads are not in frequent contact with one another, leading to mixed messaging and, ultimately, harmful acts aimed at other departments.
She said, "I don’t think the left hand is talking to the right. This is a misalignment of goals within the administration when you have a DOE doing one thing, which is harmful to the MAHA movement and HHS’ goals of addressing chronic disease through integrative medicine."
Nutritionalists and health service workers are worried the Big Beautiful Bill may hinder the efforts of the health department, with more than 130 state bills reported to be in the works on regulating ultraprocessed foods.
Kelly Horton, senior vice president of public policy and government relations at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said, "It’s an exciting time where nutrition has become a real national dialogue, but at the same time, the resources to be able to do that and to effect the changes we want to see are being pulled out from underneath us."