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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, 1:21 PM EST

Smith calls out RFK Jr. on past comments on antidepressants

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota brought up Kennedy's comments against the use of antidepressants, particularly among younger Americans.

Smith brought up what she said were Kennedy's past comments that linked anti-depressants to school shooters that she said were unproven.

"In fact, most school shooters were not treated for antidepressants," she said.

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee.
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Sen. Smith challenges RFK Jr. over past antidepressant commentsDemocratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee.
Reuters

Kennedy claimed he was talking about many factors that contributed to the shootings and reiterated that antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have serious side effects and needed more research.

"I just want to have good science," he said.

Smith then got personal, talking about her personal battles with depression and how she was able to treat it with an SSRI medication, therapy and other options to live a happier life.

The senator warned that Kennedy's past comments were not only untruthful but also had a lasting impact -- stigmatizing those suffering from depression.

"These statements that you've made linking antidepressants to school shootings, they reinforce the stigma that people who experience mental health every day face every single day," Smith said. "And I'm very concerned that this is another example of your record of sharing false and misleading information that actually really hurts people."

Jan 29, 2025, 12:57 PM EST

Republican asks Kennedy for his 'Make America Healthy Again' vision

Republicans have generally asked softer questions of Kennedy on subjects such as rural health care, chronic disease and the food supply while Democrats are hammering him on his controversial comments on vaccines and abortion.

GOP Sen. Roger Marshall provided Kennedy an opportunity to simply share his "Make America Healthy Again" during his round of questioning.

"Something is poisoning the American people," Kennedy claimed as he lamented the rise in chronic diseases.

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 said the country needs to "fix our supply."

He's railed against processed foods, artificial dyes, certain oils used to fry food and more. As he answered Marshall's question, he criticized the ingredients in McDonald's foods and in Froot Loops.

"We need to get a handle on as because if we don't, it's an existential threat," Kennedy said.

GOP Sen. Roger Marshall provided Kennedy an opportunity to share his "Make America Healthy Again" plan during his round of questioning.
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Republican asks Kennedy for his 'Make America Healthy Again' visionGOP Sen. Roger Marshall provided Kennedy an opportunity to share his "Make America Healthy Again" plan during his round of questioning.
ABCNews.com
Jan 29, 2025, 12:51 PM EST

RFK questioned on possible Medicaid cuts

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico questioned Kennedy on Medicaid and whether or not he was for cutting or reducing the program.

Kennedy told the Democrat that President Trump does not want to cut Medicaid

"He's told me to make it better," Kennedy said.

"If President Trump asks you to cut Medicaid, will you do it?" Lujan asked.

"It's not up to me to cut Medicaid, it would be up to Congress," the nominee responded.

Jan 29, 2025, 12:43 PM EST

RFK supporters applaud as committee takes brief recess

As the committee broke for a brief, five-minute recess, some Kennedy supporters gave a loud round of applause.

People wear caps in support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, during a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters