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Top Republican 'struggling' with RFK Jr.'s nomination over Kennedy's vaccine views

Kennedy refused to say vaccines don't cause autism during his hearings.

Last Updated: January 30, 2025, 1:14 PM EST

President Donald Trump has promised he'd let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" on health, food and medicine as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy, a Democrat who ran as an independent but ended up supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, was grilled by senators over his views on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and more during two days of confirmation hearings.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.

Jan 29, 2025, 12:18 PM EST

Democrat Elizabeth Warren presses RFK Jr. on making money from anti-vaccine lawsuits

Democrat Elizabeth Warren asked Kennedy if he would commit to not taking compensation related to any lawsuits against drug companies while he's serving as health secretary, should he confirmed, and for four years afterward.

"I'll certainly commit to that while I'm secretary," Kennedy said, though he didn't commit to not doing so after leaving the administration.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Democrat from Massachusetts, questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Kennedy's nomination to be Health and Human Services Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters

Kennedy said he has resigned from his work with several law firms and that if confirmed he would no longer be involved in legal cases. But in a plan greenlit by federal ethics officials, Kennedy previously said he plans to retain his right to 10% of fees awarded in contingency cases with Wisner Baum -- which is leading a civil lawsuit against Merck's Gardasil vaccine -- so long as the cases don't involve the U.S. government.

Jan 29, 2025, 12:13 PM EST

RFK pushes back against conspiracy theorist label

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis lambasted Democrats for their questioning and criticism of Kennedy's views.

Tills asked Kennedy bluntly if he were a conspiracy theorist.

"That is a pejorative that's applied to me, mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions," Kennedy said before saying he was proven right by recent studies but also making unproven claims about the COVID vaccine and fluoride.

Jan 29, 2025, 12:00 PM EST

Fact-checking RFK claims

Kennedy’s endorsements of the measles and polio vaccines during today’s confirmation hearing mask his years of skepticism about their safety and effectiveness.

Here are some medical claims made by RFK Jr. that are missing context or include falsehoods.

Kennedy claimed the CDC approved the COVID-19 vaccines without scientific basis, however, vaccines are among the most studied vaccines in history, with large clinical studies showing the health benefits far exceed any potential risks.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's choice to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, appears before the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Kennedy claimed he had nothing to do with the measles outbreak in American Samoa. Eighty-three people died during that outbreak. The nation's Ministry of Health cited Kennedy's visit and rhetoric as exacerbating vaccine hesitancy at a crucial moment.

The nominee claimed he 'probably" said Lyme disease is "highly likely a military-engineered bioweapon," however the disease is caused by a type of bacteria and spreads through the bite of blacklegged ticks.

Kennedy said he has never claimed pesticides lead children to become transgender, however, he has repeatedly pushed unfounded claims that environmental toxins, including those in drinking water, are linked to gender identity in children.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie, Youri Benadjaoud and Sony Salzman

Jan 29, 2025, 11:56 AM EST

Democrats want commitment to keep Biden's drug-pricing reforms

Under the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare for the first time was allowed to directly broker with drug manufacturers. The first 10 drugs subject to negotiations were announced in 2023 and 15 additional drugs were unveiled just before President Joe Biden left office.

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto looked for a commitment from Kennedy to protect those negotiations going forward, as Trump and many Republicans campaigned last year on rolling back the law.

"Are you there to be a rubber stamp to this administration?” she asked him.

Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination to be Health and Human Services Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Kennedy claimed the White House issued a new executive order supporting the drug pricing negotiations under the law, though no such executive order has been released.

"[Trump] has instructed me, and I've met with him repeatedly, as that we need lower price seniors in this country," Kennedy said.