Once on the fringes of the Democratic Party, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now poised to become a key player in Donald Trump’s administration.

First, Kennedy was invited to join Trump’s transition team.

More recently, the President-elect tapped Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)... a cabinet appointment we forecasted in late August.

But Kennedy’s views often clash with the mainstream scientific community (to put it mildly) — most notably, his supposed anti-vaccine stance.

Despite this, Kennedy says he and his children are vaccinated. Furthermore, he says he has no intention for vaccines to be “taken away from anybody.”

One of his stated goals, should he become HHS Secretary?

To improve vaccine safety and provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions.

But Kennedy’s nomination has been met with intense backlash. Over 75 Nobel laureates, for instance, have urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s appointment.

Your Rundown for Friday, December 13, 2024...

Focus on Chronic Illness (And JFK’s Assassination)

Despite the criticism, Kennedy seems poised to play a significant role in shaping policy, representing a major shift from a traditional approach to public health.

For example, he's been a vocal critic of 1) pharmaceutical companies and 2) regulatory agencies.

Which, let’s be honest, might be glaring reasons why Kennedy is so despised in certain circles.

His nomination, in fact, has already rattled financial markets: Vaccine stocks tumbled immediately after Trump’s announcement.

All told, Kennedy’s arc from outsider to potential cabinet member is a testament to political unpredictability. (And, yes, expediency.)

Plus, it shows just how quickly alliances can shift.

But Trump and Kennedy happen to have several priorities in common.

In the public-health sphere, Trump says he’ll establish commissions to investigate chronic and childhood diseases which were key issues in Kennedy’s presidential campaign.

Kennedy also aligns with Trump’s anti-censorship position.

On that score, Kennedy’s political moves might be driven by a deeper motive. A motive that’s literally encoded in his DNA…

Kennedy has been a vocal advocate for releasing all documents related to his uncle’s assassination. (A feat Trump was unable… or unwilling… to achieve during his first term.)

According to the National Archives, as of June 2023, 99% of the 5 million pages in the JFK Assassination Records Collection have been made publicly available.

But that’s not entirely accurate.

The public documents contain large swaths of blackouts — or redactions — to hide “sensitive” information that could “pose a threat to national security.”

According to U.S. intelligence agencies, remaining redactions primarily involve:

• Identifying information about CIA employees and assets
• Foreign intelligence relationships
• Unacknowledged CIA covert actions worldwide

However…

“What is so damaging — so embarrassing — so critically important — that they're afraid to show the American public 60 years later?”

So asks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a 2023 petition to “Demand the Immediate Release of the Still-Classified JFK Assassination Documents.”

At the time of writing, the petition has a little over 43,000 signatures. (For a petition to land on the Resolute Desk requires 250,000 signatures.)

To show just how important the JFK file is to his nephew, Trump announced he would release the remaining JFK documents if elected for a second term.

Trump’s pledge came shortly after Kennedy endorsed him.

Market Rundown for Friday, Dec. 13, 2024

S&P 500 futures are up 0.35% to 6,085.

Oil is up 0.55% to $70.40 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold is down 1% to $2,681.10 per ounce.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin is up 0.20% to $100,100.