Senators voice uncertainty about RFK Jr.

As the nominee to lead the nation’s largest civilian agency, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. walked a line between falling in line with the Trump administration’s health agenda and defending his past opposition to the very policies he will have to implement. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, Kennedy attempted to meet criticism head-on in his opening statement, acknowledging that most view him as “anti-vaccine.”

“I am pro-safety,” said Kennedy, the nominee for secretary of health and human services. “I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, but that didn’t make me anti-fish. All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in health care.”

Democratic members on the committee quoted passages from books, podcasts, and campaign speeches in which Kennedy stated the opposite. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., had a list. When asked to confirm statements that COVID-19 was a genetically engineered bioweapon targeting black and white people, Kennedy said he was quoting a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. When asked if he said Lyme disease was likely a military-engineered bioweapon, Kennedy answered, “I probably did say that.” He has also stated that fluoride in water is linked to lower IQs.

Republicans on the committee admitted they have differences with President Donald Trump’s choice to helm the Health and Human Services Department. Pro-life senators have grappled with his history of supporting abortion. Until last year, Kennedy said he supported Roe v. Wade and thought abortion should be legal throughout pregnancy. During his presidential campaign, he said he supported abortion until a baby could survive outside the womb but did not identify when that is. In the Senate hearing, Kennedy said his position is whatever Trump’s is.

“I agree with him that every abortion is a tragedy,” Kennedy answered Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. “I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions here. I agree with him that states should control abortions. He wants to end late-term abortions and protect conscious exceptions and end federal funding for abortion.”

Lankford told WORLD that Kennedy was well-prepared for a highly partisan hearing. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., displayed posters showing Kennedy’s quotes about abortion being a woman’s choice and praised Republicans for being “so open to voting for a pro-choice HHS secretary.” Lankford asked Kennedy if he would direct the Food and Drug Administration to review mail orders for the abortion drug mifepristone. Kennedy said he’d review the pill but Trump has yet to make a decision on it. He also promised to look into reports that the FDA downplays reports of the drug’s adverse effects.

“He did make it very clear that the FDA should not protect that drug or not allow transparency of side effects and such just because it’s politically expedient to be produced,” Lankford told WORLD after the hearing. When asked if he would vote to confirm Kennedy, he said, “I’m still making final decisions on that, but I don’t see any reason I would vote against him.”

Lawmakers with medical backgrounds have hesitated to commit to confirming Kennedy. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is a former gastroenterologist who ran a free clinic for uninsured workers in Baton Rouge. He also chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. He agrees with many of Kennedy’s stances on food production and healthy living. But his questions on insurance reform went mostly unanswered. When Kennedy proposed shaking up the Medicaid system, Cassidy asked how.

“I’m not exactly sure, because I’m not in there,” Kennedy answered. “I mean, it is difficult to integrate them because Medicaid is Medicare is under fee for service, paid for by employer taxes. Medicaid is fully paid for by the federal government, and it’s not a fee for service. I don’t know the answer to that. I look forward to exploring options.”

Other lawmakers said they needed more concrete information. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., told reporters, “Those programs have been the foundation since 1965, along with the social health sense of our country. So the protection of those programs is central for ordinary families.”

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., chairs the Make America Healthy Again Caucus. A former obstetrician, he is one of the few doctors in the chamber who supports Kennedy. Marshall highlighted Kennedy’s mission to reverse the rising trend of chronic disease diagnoses, which Kennedy says is related to poorer food quality and overprescription of drugs.

“I don’t agree with RFK Jr. on everything, but I fully support him. I think he’s absolutely going to be a game changer,” Marshall told Newsmax this week. “Sixty percent of Americans have some type of chronic disease, and mostly that’s determined by what they eat and the toxins they’re exposed to. So I’m just looking forward to working with RFK Jr. again.”

Dozens of doctors in white lab coats sat in the audience at the hearing to oppose Kennedy’s nomination. The American Public Health Association sent a letter to the Senate finance and health committees arguing against Kennedy’s nomination. “Mr. Kennedy has neither the training nor management experience nor judgment for such an important and complex position,” the letter states. “Throughout his career, Mr. Kennedy has shown poor judgment and a consistent disregard for scientific evidence when he has knowingly made baseless claims and promoted misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of lifesaving vaccines.”

In the hearing, Kennedy said he would not “take away” current vaccines off the market but would work as HHS secretary to make them safer. He has given up participation in his nonprofit organization, Children’s Health Defense. The organization claims many childhood vaccines are linked to health issues, including autism. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent Kennedy a letter with 175 questions to clarify his views.

“Given your dangerous views on vaccine safety and public health, including your baseless opposition to vaccines, and your inconsistent statements in important policy areas like reproductive rights access, I have serious concerns regarding your ability to oversee the department,” she wrote.

The Senate already had to call in Vice President J.D. Vance to break a tied vote over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nomination. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., broke with fellow Republicans and voted against the Cabinet nominee. McConnell survived polio as a child, and he used his private funds to promote COVID-19 vaccines in Kentucky during the pandemic.

Senate Republicans worry that similar deadlocks on the floor may be on the horizon for Kennedy, along with FBI nominee Kash Patel and national intelligence director nominee Tulsi Gabbard. All three had hearings on Thursday, teeing up committee votes for next week and possible floor votes the week after.