Gov. Josh Green has “severe reservations” and is strongly criticizing President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy, known as an environmental activist and prominent spreader of vaccine misinformation, briefly ran for president as an independent in this year’s election before withdrawing in August and endorsing Trump, who promised a position in his administration.
In an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Green — the only sitting governor who is also a medical doctor — described the decision as “gross malpractice” and warned that Kennedy’s appointment “will do incredible harm if he’s the director of Health and Human Services.”
“Putting someone with zero experience in public health in charge of the largest public health institute in the world is insane. Nobody who is being serious about the process would recommend that,” said Green.
In announcing his selection, Trump wrote Thursday on X, “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health. The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”
The announcement drew widespread criticism nationally and a sharp response from Green, who recalled the urgent call he received in 2019 from Samoa’s prime minister during a deadly measles outbreak that claimed the lives of over 80 people, mostly children.
“It was so shocking to be called by a prime minister of another nation in a desperate moment,” Green, who was lieutenant governor at the time, said of the request made of Hawaii to help get the deadly outbreak under control.
Prior to the outbreak, Kennedy had visited Samoa with his anti-vaccine organization, Children’s Health Defense, meeting with local anti-vaxxers and government officials. Amid rampant misinformation about vaccines, Samoa’s vaccination rates plummeted from 60%-70% to just 31%, setting the stage for the devastating outbreak.
Green collaborated with Samoa’s leaders, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to mount a swift humanitarian response. Within 24 hours of announcing the mission, Green’s office received more than 500 offers of support from health care workers and organizations eager to help. A team of 76 health care workers and support staff from Hawaii was assembled to assist the island nation.
The Samoan government shut down for two days to facilitate a mass immunization campaign. The team worked to immunize the population of nearly 200,000, bringing the highly contagious virus under control. The unprecedented effort helped curb the outbreak, which had infected over 4,000 people and claimed more than 80 lives.
Green said Kennedy’s leadership at HHS would likely foster vaccine skepticism and promote the use of unproven medications. He also expressed concerns that Kennedy could cut Medicaid or Medicare budgets, depriving people of essential health care, or halt funding for clinics that administer vaccines.
“He has no experience in health care, no degree, no public health credentials,” Green said. “All he has is his celebrity status, and that is a classic example of why he should not serve as HHS secretary. Unfortunately, other politicians went to his rally and supported him, and that caused confusion and ultimately it caused harm.
Rally in Kaneohe
In January, Kennedy held a voter rally at the Koolau Ballroom in Kaneohe as part of his effort to secure a spot on Hawaii’s presidential ballot, and while hundreds of residents attended to show their support, Green was notably absent.
During the rally, Kennedy addressed topics including the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines, reinforcing his controversial reputation as an anti-vaccine activist. He has previously made false claims linking vaccines to autism and promoted conspiracy theories, including the assertion that COVID-19 was “ethnically targeted” to harm “Caucasians and Black people.”
“I have no respect for someone who behaves that way,” Green said Friday. “Hawaii prides itself on having the lowest transmission rate and the lowest mortality rate of any state, but it was not thanks to RFK Jr. or others who tried to intervene.
“We have a lot of vulnerable kupuna, and sometimes celebrities can influence others, and that’s what he was doing. Fortunately, science prevailed, and we were able to convince a greater percentage of our people than any other to get vaccinated. It’s really very unethical, what he does.”
Green noted that if Kennedy were appointed to a role in Trump’s Cabinet aligned with his expertise, such as environmental law, he would understand, given Kennedy’s decades-long career as an environmental lawyer and activist.
However, Green emphasized that his criticism stems from the principle of ensuring the right qualifications for the job, suggesting Kennedy lacks the necessary experience to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
“You can’t fake some kind of expertise,” Green said. “It’s very dangerous. We went to medical school for a reason, and that was to get good training.”
Green stated that while he might disagree with certain people, he can respect their decisions if they possess the proper qualifications. He noted that even if Trump were to nominate a conservative figure with health experience, such as former Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who served under Trump’s administration from 2017 to 2021, it would be acceptable.
“I don’t mind disagreeing with people,” Green said. “But if they’re literally unqualified and the things that they do hurt others, it has to stop.”
Green speculated that Kennedy’s nomination by Trump is “for show, to show that he can do whatever he wants because he won the election.”
He also said he believes that Trump is being provocative, testing the will of the Senate to see whether they can work together and prioritize the needs of the people.
“It’s not a game, and this nomination of RFK Jr. is being treated like one,” Green said. “And that’s very unfortunate for the American people.”
If Kennedy is confirmed by the Senate to lead HHS, Green stated, “I’ll do everything I can as governor to make sure that there’s no federal interference with what we do.”
As an “astute communicator” and a physician, he said he would work to ensure that people receive accurate information grounded in science, rather than the misinformation spread by someone with a larger platform.
Addressing Trump’s Cabinet selections more broadly, Green said, “There are several selections that are good choices, and there are others that don’t have any experience right in their areas. I would humbly ask the president to put people with direct professional experience in their disciplines. I’d ask him to appoint those kinds of people to this spot.”
Green emphasized the importance of qualifications over political alignment, stating, “There are a lot of good people out there, many of whom I have deep disagreements with, but at least they have qualifications and experience. Anyone who does not have experience in their area should decline the nomination and serve in some other capacity.”
