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George Oshogwe Ogbolu
Guest
Following Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the US presidential election, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is positioning his controversial surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, as a potential addition to Trump’s incoming administration.
On Wednesday afternoon, DeSantis took to X (formerly Twitter) to float the idea of Ladapo leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“Retweet if you’d like to see this man — Dr. Joseph Ladapo — serve as the secretary of HHS in the new Trump administration,” DeSantis wrote.
Dr. Ladapo, who was appointed as Florida’s surgeon general in September 2021, rose to prominence for his outspoken views against pandemic-related restrictions, including lockdowns, mask mandates, and COVID-19 vaccines.
The Nigerian-born Harvard Medical School graduate’s appointment was confirmed by the Florida Senate in February 2022.
Before serving as Florida’s top health official, Ladapo was an associate professor at UCLA’s School of Medicine.
During his tenure, Ladapo has been a polarizing figure. He has clashed with public health authorities over vaccine safety and was criticized for threatening TV stations with potential criminal charges for airing ads supporting Amendment 4—a measure aimed at protecting abortion rights in Florida’s constitution.
Earlier this year, amid a measles outbreak, Ladapo defied federal guidance by allowing parents to decide whether to vaccinate their children or keep them home to mitigate the spread of the highly contagious disease.
DeSantis’s social media post came amid reports that Ladapo is also being considered for a key role in Trump’s health team by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine activist expected to play a significant role in shaping Trump’s federal health appointments.
The Washington Post recently revealed that Ladapo might also be on the shortlist for U.S. surgeon general, a position that serves as the nation’s leading spokesperson on public health matters.
The HHS oversees several crucial health agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
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