Trump’s Health Pick RFK Jr. Touts Removing Fluoride From Water

During Donald Trump’s second of three rallies on Saturday (with six total planned on the last weekend before Election Day), he told the audience in Salem, Virginia his pick for leading up health in his administration should he return to the White House would be Robert Kennedy Jr. Meawhile, RFK Jr. was tweeting how the administration would plan to remove fluoride from the public water system on Day One should Trump win the election.

“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water,” RFK Jr. posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease. President @realDonaldTrump and First Lady @MELANIATRUMP want to Make America Healthy Again.”

Fluoride is added to water to help protect the enamel on teeth, and prevents cavities, helping them become stronger and to fend off decay, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the CDC does not mandate water fluoridation, the U.S. Public Health Service provides a recommended fluoridation level, and most water already has naturally-occurring fluoride. And some communities choose to supplement to the recommended 0.7 mg/L, though it is not required. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that drinking water contain less than 2.0 mg/L of fluoride with the intention of preventing dental fluorosis (a condition that can affect children under age eight while their teeth are still developing), less than one percent of the U.S. population is exposed to that level of fluoride.  

RFK Jr.’s tweet linked to a video from a lawyer involved in a long-running lawsuit, which did recently find some concern over fluoride, though more research has been recommended. In September, a federal court in California ruled against the EPA, ordering it to take action over potential health risks from its current fluoride level recommendations. The ruling came following a nearly decade-long court battle with anti-fluoride groups, which include the Fluoride Action Network. The judge cited a review by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) recent toxicology report, which concluded that “higher levels” of fluoride is now linked to lowered IQ in children, though the report also said more research is needed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) questioned the NIH report, given other reviews have produced different conclusions. The AAP, along with other expert groups, continue to recommend the use of fluoride toothpaste combined with fluoridated water to protect teeth from cavities. Fluoride has been added to some water systems in the U.S. since as early as 1945.

Despite RFK touting numerous other health-related conspiracy theories such as vaccines being linked to autism, RFK’s fluoride comment came around when the GOP presidential nominee was discussing the role he planned for “Bobby” if he were to win the election. “Bobby is going to be working on the food and the pesticides and all of the things [in health],” Trump said. He added that they were on a plane yesterday where they discussed RFK Jr.’s role. “I told him, Bobby, look, here’s the story. You can work on food. You can work on anything you want. He wants health. He wants women’s health. He wants men’s health. He wants kids — he wants everything.”

Trump then explained that RFK Jr. can’t handle “our liquid gold, I’m handling that.” He quipped: “Bobby, so have fun with the pesticides, but the liquid gold you’ll have to leave with me. We’ll do very well.”