RFK Jr. confirmed as health secretary after contentious Senate hearings
WASHINGTON - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the country's Heath and Human Services secretary after the Senate confirmed him Thursday morning.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and the 52-48 vote for President Trump's controversial nominee fell largely along those lines, with former majority leader Mitch McConnell – who had polio as a child – the only Republican to vote no.
Leading up to the confirmation, Kennedy appeared before the Finance Committee and the Health Committee. His confirmation was initially far from certain in the Senate after facing pointed questioning from both Republicans and Democrats on both committees.
Who is RFK Jr.?
The backstory:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign.
The 71-year-old, whose famous name and family tragedies have put him in the national spotlight since he was a child, has spent years airing his populist — and sometimes controversial — views in podcasts, TV interviews and speeches, building his own quixotic brand.
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RFK's stance on vaccinations
Kennedy's numerous remarks, anti-vaccine nonprofit and lawsuits against immunizations were all topics for senators through his confirmation process.
RELATED: McConnell slams polio vaccine critics in apparent warning to RFK Jr.
He's rejected the anti-vaccine label, instead casting himself as a crusader for "medical freedom" who wants more research. He and Trump have vowed not to "take away" vaccines. To defuse criticism, he resigned from the Children’s Health Defense, his nonprofit that has filed dozens of lawsuits against vaccines, including government authorizations of some of them.
In his opening statement at a hearing last month, Kennedy told senators he’s not anti-vaccine but has asked "uncomfortable questions."
While Kennedy has called vaccines unsafe, in his opening remarks he said all of his children are vaccinated.
"I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care," Kennedy told the committee.
Caroline Kennedy calls cousin RFK Jr. a 'predator'
Caroline Kennedy wrote a scathing letter Tuesday encouraging the U.S. Senate to deny the nomination of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be President Donald Trump's health secretary. In the letter to senators obtained by the Associated Press, she called Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a "predator" who is addicted to power.
RFK's abortion stance
Dig deeper:
Other conservatives have questioned Kennedy's abortion views, after he said last year that it should be legal for full-term pregnancies. His campaign later clarified that he supports abortion rights until fetal viability, around 22 to 24 weeks.
In meetings with some senators, he promised to follow Trump's directive on the issue.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, for example, said he was convinced after talking to Kennedy that he would be a strong anti-abortion advocate.
But skepticism remains, with Pence's advocacy group highlighting his abortion views in an ad campaign.
"RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time," his group said in a letter sent to senators last week.
File: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 29, 2025 in Washington,
Farmers weigh in on RFK's nomination
What they're saying:
In Iowa, Kennedy's nomination both excited and worried corn and soybean farmer Brian Fyre.
The sixth-generation farmer and Republican thinks Kennedy will offer a fresh perspective, but he also can't afford the ban on corn syrup or pesticides that Kennedy has promised. If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee the Food and Drug Administration, which has the power to enact restrictions.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from a dairy farm state, sees it differently, telling a crowd at the Heritage Foundation last month that Kennedy's agriculture ideas are a promising part of a bigger goal: "to Make America Healthy Again."
What does the Health and Human Services secretary do?
Big picture view:
Health and Human Services has a broad reach across the lives of Americans, including inspecting the nation’s food, regulating medicines and overseeing research of diseases and cures. It provides health insurance for nearly half of the country — poor, disabled and older Americans, including via Medicare.
The agency oversees a $1.7-trillion budget.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story is based on a combination of recent news reports, political statements, and public records regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to become the next Health and Human Services secretary. This story was reported from Los Angeles.