Robert F Kennedy (RFK) Jr, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), faced two days of tense questioning from senators on the finance and health committees. He walked back many of his past statements on vaccines and abortion, and emphasized his commitment to address America’s chronic illness, mental health, and environmental exposure crises. 

WASHINGTON –  Robert F Kennedy Jr appeared at the first of two Senate confirmation hearings on Wednesday, facing sometimes tense standoffs between the HHS nominee and Senate Democrats, as well a few Republicans, critical of his record of vaccine hesitancy, skepticism of research, and pro-choice stance. 

Kennedy, who would oversee a $1.7 trillion agency that includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), is a vocal anti-vaxxer who has vowed to “put the health of Americans back on track.” 

The hearing comes as the Trump administration paused health communications, and ceased global health funding and programs, including HIV-medication services. 

His hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee was interrupted by protesters, some of whom wore “Make Polio Great Again” shirts, and also applause from the crowd when he promised to “make America healthy again.” There were also protests outside the hearing.

Senate Republicans praised his emphasis on addressing the chronic disease burden in the US, and expanding rural health care access. “Mr Kennedy, you represent a voice for an inspiring coalition of Americans who are deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of our nation,” said committee chair Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). 

But others questioned his shifting stance on abortion, vaccines, and food policy, accusing Kennedy of switching his views for political and monetary gain.

Kennedy made $2.5 million in lawsuit referrals against vaccine companies, and refused to commit to withdraw his own personal support of anti-vax groups that he has founded and sponsored. In response to a query by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), he also refused to commit to withdraw from his involvement in anti-vax lawsuits that have yielded him millions of dollars in income annually prior to his HHS nomination.

New statements contradict long anti-vax record 

“News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. Well, I am neither; I am pro-safety … All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in healthcare,” said Kennedy in his opening statement. 

Kennedy insisted that he was not “anti-vaccine”, and that he merely supports more testing and safety studies. As founder of the non-profit Children’s Health Defense, he has repeatedly cast doubt on the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccinations, and his organization continues to push the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism.

But in a contentious exchange with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), RFK Jr dismissed the senator’s questions about his past as head of Children’s Health Defense. 

He also refused to say that healthcare is a human right, saying that the chronically ill and those who make poor health choices should not have the same access to healthcare. A smoker, he said, would be “taking from the pool [healthcare costs]”.

Promises to revolutionize approach to chronic illness

At the same time, he said he’d find new ways to tackle high drug prices, and address the root causes of America’s obesity and addiction epidemics with healthier foods and more mental health services – messages that clearly resonated with many senators.

“Something is poisoning the American people and we know that the primary culprits are our changing food supply, highly processed foods,” he said, citing the unusually high proportion of obese people in the US in comparison to other developed nations, something that he called an “existential threat”.

He added that the government needed to support a transition away from chemical dependence to “regenerative” agriculture to support healthier food production.

Sidestepping abortion questions

Several Democratic senators questioned Kennedy on his open pro-choice stance, quoting back to him his past statements. “In 2023, you came to New Hampshire and said, ‘I’m pro choice. I don’t think the government should tell people what they cannot do with their body.’ But you also said, ‘we need to trust the women to make that choice, because I don’t trust the government to make any choices,’” said Senator Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire).

“It is remarkable that you have such a long record of fighting for women’s reproductive freedom, and really great that my Republican colleagues are so open to voting for a pro-choice HHS Secretary.

“When was it that you decided to sell out the values you’ve had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?” Hassan asked.

Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) brought up more of Kennedy’s statements, asking “did you say on a podcast ‘I wouldn’t leave it [abortion] to the states, my belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn’t have the government involved, even if it’s full term’?” 

Kennedy did not refute his past remarks, but said “every abortion is a tragedy” and that he serves at the discretion of the president’s policies. 

He was also questioned on his stance on the abortion drug mifepristone, saying he promised to look into the safety of the drug. 

Kennedy “agreed to disagree” with Trump about climate change

He said that he’d “agreed to disagree” with Trump on the impacts of climate change. Trump recently withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. But he said he’d uphold the new US Administration’s positions on restricting abortion rights – “I serve at the pleasure of the president. I’m going to implement his policies.” 

Queried about whether Medicaid, the US health insurance program for America’s poorest, “was a critical program,” he said “I believe it’s a critical program but it’s not working as well as it should be. I support making it better. ”

Family speaks out against RFK Jr

The hearing followed the publication of two new appeals by prominent Kennedy relatives to reject his appointment.

“Bobby preys on the desperation of parents of sick children, vaccinating his own kids while building a following, hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs,” said his first cousin, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of assassinated US President John F Kennedy.

In a letter to Senators that was also released on social media, Caroline Kennedy said that he “encouraged” siblings and cousins “down the path of substance abuse”. RFK’s brother died of a drug overdose.

RFK’s niece, medical doctor Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, released emails from her uncle in which he falsely links childhood vaccinations to autism, questions the safety of flu vaccines and shares articles by COVID-19 anti-vaxers.

However, in his opening statement to the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, Kennedy said that he supported the measles and polio vaccines.

“In my advocacy I have often disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions. Well, I won’t apologize for that. We have massive health problems in this country that we must face honestly.”

Image Credits: CSPAN.