Trump's Health Secretary RFK Jr. at odds with MAGA over the use of weight loss drugs

Washington DC - Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who will soon join Donald Trump in the White House as Secretary of Health, wants the country to eat healthier, but other MAGA officials are calling for increased access to weight loss drugs.

Donald Trump's Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (pictured) wants Americans to eat healthier, but some of his MAGA colleagues have another option in mind.
Donald Trump's Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (pictured) wants Americans to eat healthier, but some of his MAGA colleagues have another option in mind.  © Chip Somodevilla / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Since Trump nominated him for the position earlier this month, Kennedy has been actively pushing his MAHA – or Make America Healthy Again – effort, which aims to get the country back in shape by promoting healthier eating habits.

He has been aggressively going after the food and pharmaceutical industries, which he claims are both poisoning and profiting off of the country's poor health.

One drug in particular that he is not a fan of is Ozempic – a drug used to treat diabetes that has become wildly popular for its weight loss effects.

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In an interview with Fox News in October, Kennedy explained there is a "huge push" to sell the drug to Americans because "we are so stupid and so addicted to drugs," and suggested the only way to fix the obesity crisis is by eating healthy.

During a roundtable discussion back in September, Kennedy argued, "For half the price of Ozempic, we could purchase organic food for every American, three meals a day, and a gym membership for every obese American."

While MAGA fans have been praising Kennedy's effort, some of his colleagues in Trump's upcoming administration are at odds with his stance on weight loss drugs.

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Elon Musk (l.) and Dr. Oz (r.) have both expressed support for Ozempic and weight loss drugs, which stands at odds with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views.
Elon Musk (l.) and Dr. Oz (r.) have both expressed support for Ozempic and weight loss drugs, which stands at odds with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views.  © Collage: Anna Moneymaker & Mindy Small / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The rapid rise of Ozempic can mostly be attributed to celebrities and influencers, many of whom have publicly revealed that they have been taking it, and praising the results.

Celebrities that have endorsed the drug include Lady Gaga, Mindy Kaling, members of the Kardashian family, and former Congressman George Santos.

Last month, Trump nominated Mehmet Cengiz Öz, the reality TV star known best as Dr. Oz, to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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Oz – who has been known to push unscientific health recommendations that have been ridiculed and slammed by the medical community – has sworn by the effects of Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs, regularly pitching them as effective alternatives on his show.

Kennedy and Oz's opposing stances may cause problems during Trump's upcoming term, as Oz will be working directly for Kennedy in his CMS role.

Billionaire Elon Musk – who Trump has tapped as an advisor and head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – also recently came out as a fan of weight loss drugs.

On Christmas, Musk shared a photo on X of himself along with the caption "Ozempic Santa." In a follow-up, he later clarified that he has been taking a similar drug called Mounjaro, which has garnered great results.

In November, President Joe Biden announced a proposal to require Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight loss drugs, but it will now be up to Trump's administration whether they decide to move it forward.

Cover photo: Chip Somodevilla / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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