Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is set to meet up with several top executives of major food brands — a major step for the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
The meetup on Monday comes approximately a month after Kennedy was confirmed for his position within the Trump administration, with HHS already undergoing several shake-ups since then. Among those with whom Kennedy plans to meet are executives from General Mills and PepsiCo, according to Politico.
General Mills is best known for cereal brands, including Trix, Cheerios, and Raisin Nut Bran. It also owns the yogurt brand Yoplait along with the pancake brand Bisquick. PepsiCo, meanwhile, has Pepsi, Lay’s, hummus brand Sabra, and others underneath its umbrella.
The Washington Examiner contacted HHS for comment.
Since Kennedy’s confirmation as HHS secretary, his department has undergone several changes, including Kennedy directing any employees “working for the pharmaceutical industry” to “move out.” HHS has also issued new guidance to define sex as “a person’s immutable biological classification as either male or female” based upon the respective production of sperm or eggs, in line with President Donald Trump’s executive order that male and female genders are defined by an individual’s reproductive cells.
Most recently, Kennedy applauded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for launching a page that tracks projects that expert members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices are involved in, potentially creating conflicts of interest in the position. Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccinations, deemed the move “radical transparency” by the CDC.
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Kennedy was confirmed as the HHS’s new secretary on Feb. 13 in a vote of 52-48 in the Senate. Shortly after his confirmation, Trump directed Kennedy to examine the role of psychological medications in the chronic disease and mental health epidemics among young people.
The meetup between Kennedy and food company officials will occur shortly after Dr. Marty Makary sat for his confirmation hearing on Thursday to be the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. If confirmed for this position, Makary will oversee the safety and efficacy of drugs, vaccines, foods, and medical devices.
