It was not long for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., confirmation, President Donald Trump’s Nomine for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to become controversial while Senate Democrats grill him.
The verbal fireworks exploded minutes in the hearing of the Senate Financing Committee on Wednesday, the first of two consecutive days of congress fever seat sessions for the controversial vaccine skeptic and environmental cross -country who ran for the Witte Huis in 2024 and understood his bid.
Kennedy was repeatedly on That he was not a “anti-vaccine” and hit several democratic senators for pushing an “unfair” story to him that he “corrected” many times on national television. Democrats in the committee pointed to a whole series of comments from the candidate in the candidate in which he interviewed or discredited Covid shots and other vaccines.
“The coupons show that Mr Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks and charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He has made his life’s work to sow doubt and to discourage parents from getting their children’s life -saving vaccines , “Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top democrat on the panel, accused in his opening statement.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. During a hearing of the Senate Financing Committee, testifies to his nomination to be secretary for health and human services on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty images)
A little later, when Kennedy delivered his own opening commentary and said: “News reports claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-security,” a demonstrator “you lie” shouted.
The Heckler was led from Capitol from the hearing by the police police, just like a second demonstrator minutes later.
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And another demonstrator was seen in the audience with a sign with the lecture: “Vaccines save lives, not rfk jr.”
A demonstrator holds a sign with the lecture “Vaccins Save Lives”, because candidate of health and human services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. During a hearing of the Senate Financing Committee, testifies to his appointment to be Secretary for Health and Human Services on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, January 29, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty images)
Democrats in the committee repeatedly pointed to Kennedy’s controversial vaccine views, including his repeated claims in recent years Couple vaccines To autism, who have been invalidated by scientific research.
They have also brought the service of Kennedy to the attention for years as chairman or chief advisor for the health of children, the non -profit organization he has founded against vaccines and has charged the federal government many times, including a challenge about the Authorization of the Covid vaccine for children.
In his opening statement, which FOX News only obtained before the hearing, Kennedy paid attention to the fact that “I believe vaccines play a crucial role in health care. All my children have been vaccinated. I have written books about vaccines. My first Book in 2014, the first line is “I am not an anti-vaccine ‘and the last line is’ I am not an anti-vaccine.’ “
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But he was quickly confronted with a whims of Democrats.
Wyden distracted his interrogation of Kennedy, the Scion of the Nation’s most legendary political dynasty, by highlighting a destructive letter of the well -known cousin of the nominated, Caroline Kennedy, who accused him of being a “predator” and there among the laws To be detected to refuse the nomination.
The senator also pointed to earlier Kennedy vaccinacineability reactions, including one of 2020 when he said that he “paid something” to be able to go back in time and not to vaccinate his children.
“Are you lying against the congress today if you say that you are pro-vaccine? Or have you been on all those podcasts?” Wyden asked.
Kennedy pushed back into a very heated exchange and claimed that statements he made on podcasts “repeatedly disprove”.
And he promised that he would do nothing to prevent Americans from gaining certain vaccines.
“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will not do anything if HHS secretary makes it difficult to make it difficult to take something,” Kennedy emphasized.
The next Democrat who questioned Kennedy, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, accused him of paddling half truths, paddling false explanations. “
Benett was heated when he asked Kennedy about other comments from the past and asked, “You said, Lyme disease is a very likely militarily developed Bioweapon?”
“I probably said that,” Kennedy replied.
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And Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island, who has known Kennedy for decades – dating from their days as law students at the University of Virginia, told his friend “frankly, you scare people.”
If confirmed, Kennedy would have control over 18 powerful federal agencies that supervise the nation Eating and healthIncluding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the candidate of President Donald Trump for secretary of health and human services, testifies during his confirmation of the Senate Financing Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The 71-year-old Kennedy launched a long-term campaign for the Democratic Presidential Nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later he switched to an independent run for the White House.
Kennedy again made large headlines last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long since identified and repeatedly identified his deceased father, former senator Robert F. Kennedy, and his deceased uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both murdered in the 1960s, were built in the 1960s – In recent years, Kennedy built relationships with relationships with by far leaders, partly because of his controversial skepticism of vaccine.
Trump announced shortly after the November elections that he would nominate Kennedy at his cabinet to lead HHS.
In the two months since Trump’s announcement, it is not only Democrats who have asked questions about the confirmation of Kennedy. Social conservative republicans were part of his earlier comments in support of abortion rights.
“My conviction is that we have to leave it to the woman. We should not involve the government, even if it is the full period,” Kennedy said as he ran for President.
But since he endorsed Trump, Kennedy has returned his position on abortion. And in an exchange on Wednesday with Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy stated: “I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy.”
Independent senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont, a former double democratic presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a “big U-turn” about abortion.
Kennedy was also questioned about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the enormous health care programs used by millions of older, disabled people and Americans with a low income.
“I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program,” said Kennedy about Medicaid.
And he said that President Trump had not asked him to reduce the program, but rather “asked me to make it better.”
Kennedy, whose pronounced views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also fueled controversy, promised that “if confirmed, I will do everything to put the health of Americans back on track.”
While Democrats can find a common basis with the aim of Kennedy to shift the focus of the agencies, he would supervise the promotion of a healthy lifestyle – including the overhaul of food guidelines and focuses on ultra -processed foods – and the root causes of Chronic diseases, Kennedy to reach that they opposed him because he is the nominee of Trump.
“Now they are against me because everything that President Trump does, every decision he makes, must be labeled, mocked, discredited, marginalized, taxed, “Kennedy argued.
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With Republicans who check the Senate with a majority of 53-47, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation. During Wednesday’s hearing, no Republicans seemed to resist the nomination.
Republican senator Thom Tillis van North Carolina seemed to be leaning on the attacks of the Democrats on Kennedy and asked: “I have a real fast question for you: are you a conspiracy theoreticist?”
Kennedy replied that it is “a pejorative that is applied to me to prevent me from asking for difficult questions about powerful interests.”
Gop Senator Steve Daines from Montana, a chemical engineer, has paid attention to the fact that there are various Republican doctors in the committee.
“We believe in science. I am grateful that you do that too,” said Daines.
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Republican senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, a doctor who said he had a “candid conversation” with Kennedy about immunisations when they met earlier this month, did not ask for vaccines during the committee’s hearing. Instead, he kept his questions to federal health care programs, including Medicare.
In the meantime, Gop Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin focused on Democrats in the committee for what he claimed that “hostility was on the other side … I am disappointed about it.”
The hearing ended three and a half hours after it started, where Kennedy left the commission room to toast of supporters.
