By Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated by President Donald Trump for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), faced a tense and highly scrutinized confirmation hearing before the Senate. Over the course of three hours, Kennedy faced skeptical senators who attacked him over everything, from vaccines to Medicare and Medicaid.
A vocal critic of the pharmaceutical industry and an outspoken skeptic of vaccine safety, Kennedy encountered fierce resistance from Democrats, who repeatedly challenged his past statements on public health issues. Conversely, Republicans largely defended his nomination, commending his commitment to investigating food additives and the rise of chronic diseases. Despite Republican support, Kennedy’s confirmation remains uncertain, as at least one key GOP senator has yet to announce a position on his nomination.
His inability to articulate a comprehensive vision for Medicaid reform was a focal point of the hearing. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and a physician by profession, pressed Kennedy for specifics on how he would handle Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to nearly 80 million low-income Americans, wrote The Associated Press. Kennedy, seemingly caught off guard, admitted that he lacked a comprehensive plan for restructuring the program. His difficulties deepened when he misstated basic details about Medicaid’s funding, erroneously suggesting that the federal government fully finances the program. In reality, Medicaid operates through a cost-sharing arrangement between federal and state governments. Additionally, he appeared confused about the function of community health clinics and emergency room policies, prompting senators from both parties to correct his assertions.
Vaccine policy remained a particularly contentious issue throughout the hearing. Kennedy sought to reassure lawmakers by stating that his own children are vaccinated and that he supports immunization as a critical component of public health. However, Democrats remained skeptical, citing his long history of promoting vaccine-related conspiracy theories.
There were times where Democrats seemed unhinged, but Senator Bernie Sanders took the cake during the hearing, criticizing Kennedy’s leadership of the anti-vaccine advocacy group Children’s Health Defense, pointing to a baby onesie sold on the organization’s website that read, “Unvaxxed, Unafraid.” Kennedy distanced himself from the merchandise, insisting he had no role in its promotion.
At one point, in a strange scene, the Vermont senator railed about “supporting the onesie.”
A US senator spent time today demanding whether a cabinet nominee supports a onesie.
Why did Democrats lose? This is why. pic.twitter.com/zGDAI9FpXJ
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) January 29, 2025
Beyond vaccines, Kennedy faced scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from drug companies, pressed him to commit to ceasing financial involvement in lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.
With Democrats strongly opposing his confirmation, Kennedy’s fate depends on securing near-unanimous support from Senate Republicans. Losing more than four GOP votes could derail his nomination entirely and his former running mate, Nicole Shanahan, has said that she intends to keep the GOP in line, threatening to primary any senator, including Democrats, who voted no against Kennedy.
“He is more than qualified. He’s proven, principled, and prepared to lead. I’ll share a list below of key senators. If they represent your state, they need to hear from you,” Shanahan said Tuesday in a video posted to Twitter.
Dear U.S. Senators,
Bobby may play nice; I won’t. pic.twitter.com/G9SZjZhFYR
— Nicole Shanahan (@NicoleShanahan) January 29, 2025
Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, said that in 2020 she cut two “large checks” to then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that helped Democrats flip two seats in Georgia, noted The Hill.
“The two candidates I helped elect, Sen. Raphael Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff, please know I will be watching your votes very closely,” she said. “I will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of America’s children.”
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