U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior celebrated Idaho’s recent legislative pushes to Make America Healthy Again and prioritize individual rights during the COVID-19 pandemic during a brief visit to Boise Wednesday.
“I’m very happy to be here in Idaho, which is the home of medical freedom, the home of good health and has a commitment like no other state making its population healthy again,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy made brief statements alongside Gov. Brad Little, who declared August to be “Keep Idaho Healthy Month.”
The two took no questions from reporters.
Kennedy kicked off remarks at the Idaho capitol by slamming COVID pandemic policies across the country, with one exception.
“Idaho did better than any other state in preserving those essential American freedoms and a lot of that was because of the leadership of Gov. Little,” he said.
Little issued a statewide, three-week stay at home order on March 25, 2020 in response to the virus.
Church leaders in the state pushed back against the governor’s limits on gatherings. Eventually, a few sued Little, saying he unconstitutionally barred the free exercise of religion.
A federal judge later dismissed the lawsuit after the governor lifted restrictions for religious institutions.
State lawmakers from his own party compared his policies to those of Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, using the nickname "Little Hitler."
Kennedy later gave props to Little and state legislators for recently passing a law banning federal food benefits from paying for candy and soda.
Another bill prohibiting private businesses from refusing to serve people who don’t treat their illnesses also got a shout out.
Little says efforts like these are imperative.
“It’s the right thing to do for a person. It’s even more the right thing to do for their families and I think the president and the secretary have talked about it’s a patriotic duty to do for the whole country,” he said.
After making remarks at the Idaho Capitol, Kennedy and Little hosted a round table with tribal leaders on how they could help tackle mental health problems on reservations.
A few dozen protesters gathered on the capital steps opposing Kennedy's visit. A handful shouted in front of Gov. Little's office "Hey, hey, RFK. How many kids have you killed today," as well as "Free Palestine."
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