Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is sharing his reaction to President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the job he once held, exclusively with WISN 12 News.Thompson served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush from 2001-05.Thompson said his job leading HHS was a crucial one.”The Department of Health and Human Services is one of the most important jobs in the federal government because every decision pretty much impacts the lives of the United States,” he said. “Everything that takes place with health, safety, workplace, elderly, children, adoptions.” Bush appointed him just months before Sept. 11.”Taking care of all the safety and welfare of all the citizens, but I also had the terrorist attack on New York,” he said.He’s been following Trump’s nomination announcements closely. Robert Kennedy Jr., a Democrat turned Independent, is Trump’s pick for HHS.Thompson thinks Kennedy is up for the job.”He’s talking about the same things I was concerned about — the obesity in the United States, he’s talking about that. He’s concerned about the epidemic of diabetes. He’s also concerned about the quality of food, food safety, and I was very much involved in all of those things,” he said.The nomination comes with controversy. In a July 2023 podcast interview, RFK Jr. said, “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.”Vaccines have been proven safe and effective for decades.”If he said that, that’s a fair criticism, and I’m not certain he’s said that because today he’s said he’s never said that, and he doesn’t believe it. There’s going to be a lot of questions, and investigations, but at the end of the day, I think Robert Kennedy will do a fine job,” he said.Kennedy claims he wants to immediately start studying vaccine safety and efficacy, if he is confirmed for the position. He has promised he will not “take vaccines away from anybody.”Most vaccine policies and mandates are codified in Federal law, and would require an act of Congress to change that.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is sharing his reaction to President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the job he once held, exclusively with WISN 12 News.
Thompson served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush from 2001-05.
Thompson said his job leading HHS was a crucial one.
“The Department of Health and Human Services is one of the most important jobs in the federal government because every decision pretty much impacts the lives of the United States,” he said. “Everything that takes place with health, safety, workplace, elderly, children, adoptions.”
Bush appointed him just months before Sept. 11.
“Taking care of all the safety and welfare of all the citizens, but I also had the terrorist attack on New York,” he said.
He’s been following Trump’s nomination announcements closely. Robert Kennedy Jr., a Democrat turned Independent, is Trump’s pick for HHS.
Thompson thinks Kennedy is up for the job.
“He’s talking about the same things I was concerned about — the obesity in the United States, he’s talking about that. He’s concerned about the epidemic of diabetes. He’s also concerned about the quality of food, food safety, and I was very much involved in all of those things,” he said.
The nomination comes with controversy. In a July 2023 podcast interview, RFK Jr. said, “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.”
Vaccines have been proven safe and effective for decades.
“If he said that, that’s a fair criticism, and I’m not certain he’s said that because today he’s said he’s never said that, and he doesn’t believe it. There’s going to be a lot of questions, and investigations, but at the end of the day, I think Robert Kennedy will do a fine job,” he said.
Kennedy claims he wants to immediately start studying vaccine safety and efficacy, if he is confirmed for the position. He has promised he will not “take vaccines away from anybody.”
Most vaccine policies and mandates are codified in Federal law, and would require an act of Congress to change that.
