During a victory speech early Wednesday morning, Trump declared the U.S. had delivered him and Republicans an "unprecedented mandate."
That will mean big changes to health care, starting with Kennedy.
Trump has pledged to let Kennedy "go wild" on food and medicine, and elevating him to a major role in the administration would likely invite open questions about the government's role in regulating public health.
Trump said publicly before Election Day that he would give Kennedy a major role in his administration, but there have been conflicting statements on whether that would be in a Senate-confirmed position.
Public health experts fear Kennedy is just the start of Trump giving a platform to people skeptical of the federal government. Kennedy says federal health regulators are held captive by industry special interests and has pledged to "make America healthy again" by purging entire departments to root out corruption.
Kennedy's history in promoting a debunked links between vaccines and autism could further erode public confidence in routine immunizations, potentially leading to an increase in preventable illnesses.
On abortion, Trump said that not only will he not sign a national ban, but he would also veto one if it got to his desk. During the campaign, he tried to simultaneously take credit for ending Roe v. Wade while distancing himself from the fallout.
Still, abortion rights advocates don't expect a friendly Trump administration. They are anticipating efforts to restrict access, whether it's by allowing states to impose bans that the Biden-Harris administration fought against, or by prohibiting the mailing of the abortion drug mifepristone.
On ObamaCare, Trump's actions will likely be dictated by the makeup of Congress. If Democrats win the House, the administration will take more targeted actions using executive authority, like cutting outreach funds, shortening enrollment periods and loosening regulations on insurers.
If Republicans win a trifecta by holding onto their House majority after securing the White House and Senate, there could be more changes. Policy experts also see Medicaid as a likely target for funding cuts.
Trump has promised not to touch Medicare and Social Security, but extending his 2017 tax cuts will need to be paid for somehow, putting Medicaid at risk. Conservatives have long eyed changes to the program, including work requirements for beneficiaries and capping the federal share.
