Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination

THIS MORNING – REACTION IS COMING IN FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE – AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP NOMINATED FORMER INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. AS THE U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN HIS UPCOMING ADMINSTRATION. 

TRUMP HIMSELF TAKING THE STAGE LAST NIGHT TO COMMEND KENNEDY DURING AN AMERICA FIRST POLICY INSTITUTE GALA AT MAR-A-LAGO IN PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. 

“Another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy. It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.” 

“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr. Bobby.” 

KENNEDY RESPONDING TO THE NOMINATION EARLIER IN THE DAY – POSTING ON X, IN PART  “WE HAVE A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER THE GREATEST MINDS IN SCIENCE, MEDICINE, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT TO PUT AN END TO THE CHRONIC DISEASE EPIDEMIC.” 

THE 70-YEAR-OLD KENNEDY IS A FORMER DEMOCRAT– WHO ENDORSED TRUMP AFTER DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE. HE WOULD OVERSEE A GROUP OF HEALTH AGENCIES INCLUDING THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL , THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. 

THE POSITION REQUIRES SENATE CONFIRMATION – WITH THE NOMINATION RECEIVING BOTH PRAISE AND DISAPPROVAL FROM LAWMAKERS AS WELL AS SOME OF HIS OWN FAMILY MEMBERS. 

WISCONSIN SENATOR RON JOHNSON CALLING KENNEDY QUOTE “A BRILLIANT, COURAGEOUS TRUTH-TELLER WHOSE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY WILL MAKE AMERICA A HEALTHIER NATION.” 

WHILE CRITICS OF KENNEDY POINT TO HIS PREVIOUS COMMENTS – QUESTIONING VACCINATIONS. 

OREGON SENATOR  RON WYDEN SAYING IN A STATEMENT, “MR. KENNEDY’S OUTLANDISH VIEWS ON BASIC SCIENTIFIC FACTS ARE DISTURBING AND SHOULD WORRY ALL PARENTS WHO EXPECT SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES TO BE SAFE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.” 

AND MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR ED MARKEY JUST POSTING THREE WORDS QUOTE “DANGEROUS. UNQUALIFIED. UNSERIOUS.” 

KENNEDY IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF THE CHILDREN’S HEALTH DEFENSE – DESCRIBED BY MEDIA OUTLETS AS THE LEADING ANTI-VACCINE GROUP IN THE NATION. 

WHEN PRESSED ON THE SUBJECT OF VACCINATIONS BY BOTH NBC NEWS AND NPR IN INTERVIEWS EARLIER THIS MONTH – KENNEDY SAID IF PUT INTO THIS TYPE OF ROLE – HE IS QUOTE “NOT GOING TO TAKE AWAY ANYBODY’S VACCINATIONS.”

PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP MAKING MORE NEWS AT THE MAR-A-LAGO GALA LAST NIGHT – ANNOUNCING HE WILL BE NOMINATING NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DOUG BURGUM FOR INTERIOR SECRETARY. TRUMP SAYING A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE COMING TODAY. 

THAT PICK WAS ONE OF SEVERAL MADE YESTERDAY. 

TRUMP NOMINATING DOUG COLLINS AS VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY. THE FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM GEORGIA AND IRAQ WAR VETERAN WAS A SUPPORTER OF TRUMP DURING HIS FIRST IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN 20-19. 

TRUMP ALSO NAMING THREE OF HIS LAWYERS TO POSITIONS IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. 

TRUMP NOMINATED TODD BLANCHE FOR DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL – BLANCHE HAS LED TRUMP’S DEFENSE IN THREE OF HIS CRIMINAL CASES – 

AND HE HAS APPOINTED EMIL BOVE AS PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL. BOVE WAS AN ATTORNEY ON THE NEW YORK AND FLORIDA CASES. 

AND JOHN SAUER, WHO WON THE PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY CASE AT THE U-S SUPREME COURT – IS TRUMP’S PICK FOR SOLICITOR GENERAL.

THE REPUBLICAN-LED HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE HAS CANCELED ITS MEETING OVER THE INVESTIGATION INTO FORMER CONGRESSMAN MATT GAETZ OF FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE SOURCES. 

GAETZ RESIGNED FROM CONGRESS EARLIER THIS WEEK AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ANNOUNCED HE’S NOMINATING GAETZ FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL 

THE MEETING — WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR THIS MORNING BEFORE GAETZ RESIGNED — WAS SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON THE INVESTIGATION INTO MULTIPLE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST GAETZ, INCLUDING SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, ILLICIT DRUG USE, ACCEPTING IMPROPER GIFTS, AND OBSTRUCTION. 

NOW — THERE ARE CALLS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO MAKE THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION PUBLIC ANYWAY, ESPECIALLY FROM SENATORS WHO WILL BE TASKED WITH WHETHER TO APPROVE GAETZ’S NOMINATION.

TROPICAL STORM SARA MADE LANDFALL LATE THURSDAY IN NORTHERN HONDURAS — BRINGING TORRENTIAL RAIN AS IT SKIRTS THE COUNTRY’S COAST. 

AUTHORITIES THERE HAVE WARNED OF THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES — WITH THE COUNTRY’S PRESIDENT SAYING IT COULD “BECOME A CATASTROPHIC EVENT.” 

HONDURAN OFFICIALS HAVE ISSUED THE **HIGHEST LEVEL WARNING** ALONG THE COUNTRY’S NORTHERN COAST AND ACTIVATED THE NATIONAL POLICE AND MILITARY FOR RESCUE AND RELIEF EFFORTS. 

SARA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INLAND, MAKING LANDFALL OVER BELIZE ON SUNDAY — BEFORE DISSIPATING OVER THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER. 

THIS MARKS THE 18-TH NAMED STORM OF THE 20-24 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON — WHICH IS OVER AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

THE PENTAGON INVESTIGATED MORE THAN 700 SITINGS OF U-F-Os — OR U-A-Ps, AS THE GOVERNMENT PREFERS TO CALL THEM — LAST YEAR — ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT RELEASED THURSDAY.  

U-A-P STANDS FOR UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA AND OF THE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS LAST YEAR — THEY CANNOT PLAUSIBLY EXPLAIN THE SOURCE OF 21 OF THEM. 

PENTAGON OFFICIALS MAINTAIN THEY’VE FOUND **NO** EVIDENCE OF ALIEN ACTIVITY, BUT THE GOVERNMENT’S ALL-DOMAIN ANOMALY RESOLUTION OFFICE SAYS IT TAKES EVERY REPORT SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATES EACH ONE. 

OF THE NEW REPORTS THE A-A-R-O HAS RECEIVED NEARLY 50 HAVE ALREADY BEEN CLOSED AS EVERYDAY ITEMS, SUCH AS BALLOONS, BIRDS OR DRONES.  WHILE THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY EXPECTS TO RESOLVE ANOTHER 243 CASES BY IDENTIFYING THEM AS ONE OF THOSE OBJECTS. 

AND MORE THAN 400 OF THE NEW REPORTS WERE PUT INTO AN ACTIVE ARCHIVE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DATA OR EVIDENCE TO KEEP INVESTIGATING.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – NETFLIX HAS A MESSAGE FOR BOXING FANS, SOCIAL MEDIA USERS AND SUBSCRIBERS JUST  LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO WATCH TONIGHT — LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE. 

HISTORY WILL BE MADE AS NETFLIX IS STREAMING THE BOXING MATCH BETWEEN FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION MIKE TYSON AND YOUTUBE INFLUENCER TURNED BOXER JAKE PAUL. 

IT IS THE FIRST LIVE BOXING EVENT FOR THE STREAMING GIANT 

AND THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL MATCH FOR THE 58-YEAR-OLD TYSON SINCE 2015. 

THE TWO FACING OFF DURING A FINAL WEIGH IN THURSDAY – WITH TYSON SLAPPING PAUL. 

THE EIGHT-ROUND MATCH AT AT&T STADIUM IN TEXAS WAS POSTPONED FROM JULY AFTER TYSON SUFFERED AN INFLAMED ULCER WEEKS BEFORE THE BOUT. 

REPORTS INDICATE BOTH COMPETITORS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE A BIG PAYDAY – WITH TYSON, WHO HAS A RECORD OF 50 AND 6, REPORTEDLY MAKING 20 MILLION AND THE 27-YEAR-OLD PAUL, WHO HAS A RECORD OF 10 AND 1, MAKING 40 MILLION. 

PAUL’S STARTUP – MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS – TEAMED UP WITH NETFLIX TO BRING THE FIGHT TOGETHER. 

NETFLIX CURRENTLY HAS OVER 282 MILLION PAID SUBSCRIBERS WORLDWIDE AND PAUL PREDICTS AT LEAST 25 MILLION OF THEM WILL TUNE IN – WHICH WOULD MAKE THIS THE MOST WATCHED BOXING MATCH OF ALL TIME.