Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s controversial nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, confronted intense questioning Wednesday during his first of two confirmation hearings. He struggled to articulate clear positions on fundamental healthcare policies or to square past statements on vaccines and abortion with his current positions.
Kennedy found consensus on his calls to reform America’s food system to limit processed food in people’s diets and to combat the country’s obesity and chronic disease crisis – but little beyond that.
During a tense exchange with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, Kennedy seemed confused about Medicaid’s basic funding structure, incorrectly describing the jointly state-federal program serving 72 million Americans as “fully paid for” by the federal government. When pressed whether he would support limiting the federal government’s participation, a proposal that would force at least nine states to halt their plans for Medicaid expansion, Kennedy spoke vaguely about “increasing transparency” and “accountability.”
The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters, who were removed from the chamber. Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Bernie Sanders challenged Kennedy over his history of anti-vaccine statements. Although Kennedy maintained that he is “pro-safety” rather than “anti-vaccine,” Sanders pointed to the anti-vaccine foundation he started, Children’s Health Defense, pulling out pictures of baby onesies sold by the foundation with anti-vaccine slogans on them.
Kennedy can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. He faces another hearing on Thursday before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where he is expected to face similar scrutiny.
“RFK still seems – for now – more likely than not to make it through Senate confirmation, despite recent criticism in conservative-leaning media,” says Eurasia Group US expert Clayton Allen, who notes that Senate Republicans are marshaling their political capital to oppose more controversial picks – like Tulsi Gabbard.