Robert F. Kennedy Jr. went before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday to vie for his confirmation as President Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Kennedy is one of Trump’s most controversial nominees. That’s partly because of his highly skeptical attitude toward vaccines and what critics characterize as a fondness for pseudo-scientific conspiracy theories.
Kennedy is divisive for other reasons as well. Some social conservatives are dubious about the scion of the Democratic family, especially where his past support for abortion rights is concerned.
Meanwhile, many of Kennedy’s extended family members are openly hostile to him. His cousin Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former President Kennedy, described him as a “predator” who is unfit for office in recent days. Caroline’s son, Jack Schlossberg, has also been a vigorous critic.
Despite all that, Trump and his supporters are strongly behind Kennedy, who they want to spearhead an effort they have summed up in the slogan “Make America Healthy Again.”
Here are five takeaways from Wednesday hearing.
Vaccines were central topic
Kennedy’s record on vaccines was always going to be at the heart of the hearing.
The heat of the charges thrown around and some of the exchanges was notable.
One of the most memorable sound bites of the day came from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who told Kennedy, “Frankly, you frighten people.”
Whitehouse also insisted that it was incumbent upon Kennedy to deliver “a clear and trustworthy recantation of what you have said on vaccinations.”
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) cited a podcast interview from July 2020 in which Kennedy said “no vaccine is safe and effective.”
In a tense exchange, Kennedy insisted that quote had been taken out of context, that he had repeatedly corrected misconceptions that had arisen from it and that Wyden was being “dishonest.”
In an opening statement that clearly anticipated the attacks to come, Kennedy said, “News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety.”
But even at that moment, his words were interrupted by a protester who accused him of lying.
Abortion rears its head
The unease about Kennedy’s past positions on abortion rights is predominantly an issue on the right, but it was mostly Democrats who drew attention to those views — presumably to cast Kennedy as slippery and, in the process, make things difficult for Republicans.
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) noted Kennedy’s statement from 2023 that he was “pro-choice.”
Hassan added that it was “really great that my Republican colleagues are so open to voting for a pro-choice HHS secretary.”
But she also said Kennedy had previously stated bodily autonomy was one of his core values.
“When was it that you decided to sell out the values you had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?” she asked.
“I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy,” Kennedy responded.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) also noted he and Kennedy had “some disagreements” on the abortion issue.
Kennedy again reiterated his support for Trump’s positions and added that he agreed with the president in his belief that the U.S. “cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year.”
“Are you supportive of these onesies?”
One of the more unexpected moments came courtesy of 83-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and two onesies for babies.
The onesies in question were shown in large photos behind the Vermont senator. One bore the slogan “Unvaxed, Unafraid,” while the other stated “No vax, no problem.”
Sanders said the onesies were being sold by Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy founded.
Sanders complained it was inconsistent on Kennedy’s part to portray himself as pro-vaccine while “your organization is making money selling a child’s product to parents, for 26 bucks, which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines.”
Sanders asked Kennedy to stop the organization from selling the product.
Kennedy contended he had “no power over that organization” because he had resigned from the board.
Sanders noted Kennedy’s resignation was recent — it happened just last month — and pressed on.
“Are you supportive of these onesies?” Sanders demanded.
“I am supportive of vaccines,” Kennedy countered.
The moment quickly went viral on social media.
Some stumbles on Medicare and Medicaid
The back-and-forth between Kennedy and Democratic senators was largely expected.
More surprising was the nominee’s misfires on Medicare and Medicaid.
Perhaps most glaringly, Kennedy contended that Medicaid was paid for in its entirety by the federal government. It isn’t. States also pay some of the cost.
He also made the peculiar charge that premiums were too high in the program. With extremely rare exceptions, Medicaid recipients do not pay premiums.
One of the most uncomfortable moments Kennedy suffered at Republican hands came when Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) pressed him for specifics on how he would reform Medicaid.
Kennedy gave a rather general and broad-based answer, and perhaps more problematically appeared ill at ease with the question.
Did it change anything?
The hearing allowed Democrats to land some blows on Kennedy. But there was no single moment that appeared devastating to his chances.
His personal life, which includes a previous heroin addiction that Kennedy has spoken about, was mostly left untouched.
Kennedy is back on Capitol Hill on Thursday to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Crucially, Cassidy is the chair of that panel. Cassidy, a physician, “worked for over 25 years in the Louisiana charity hospital system,” according to his official biography on the committee’s website. He has appeared lukewarm toward Kennedy so far.
Cassidy’s vote could be crucial to Kennedy’s ultimate fate.
No Trump nominee can afford to lose more than three GOP senators, assuming all Democrats vote against confirmation.
Three Republicans voted against Pete Hegseth to be secretary of Defense: Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).
McConnell, a polio survivor, has seemed implicitly critical of Kennedy at times. Collins and Murkowski are widely seen as the two most moderate Republican senators, and could vote against Kennedy.
That’s why Cassidy could ultimately be the make-or-break vote.
