Kennedy’s bid to serve as America’s top health official may be decided by a handful of Republicans, including several senators who questioned him Thursday.

“There are so many things about RFK Jr. that would seem to make him a Democratic appointee instead of a Republican one — but so much of that is overshadowed by his anti-vaccine views, which resonate with Republicans after the Covid experience,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president at the health policy think tank KFF.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. faced tough questions over vaccine skepticism and Medicaid reform at his confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for health secretary, repeatedly confused Medicare and Medicaid. He also tried to convince senators he was not against vaccines, despite past statements.

That almost messianic obsession — which arrogantly defies the weight of decades of science supporting the benefits of vaccines — should be enough to sink Kennedy’s nomination. But if they need more, senators should also be troubled by the nominee’s longstanding financial stake in suing the pharmaceutical companies that produce those vaccines.

In his first Senate confirmation hearing to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeated claims we have written about before on vaccines and chronic disease.

Kennedy’s confirmation vote in the Senate is sure to be a close one. If even just a few Republicans don’t support Kennedy, the bid could result in failure.

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.

Kennedy has repeatedly questioned the efficacy and even safety of vaccines touted by most doctors as medical miracles responsible for saving tens of million lives globally.

Kennedy Jr. was pressed to clarify his views on vaccines, abortion and public health priorities in the first of two senate hearings as he tries to make the case to become President Donald Trump's health secretary.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified Wednesday he is not a conspiracy theorist and that vaccines are a critical component of health care, using a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing to defend his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda and accuse Democrats of misconstruing his views or turning on him for partisan reasons.

Polio, a disease that can cause lifelong paralysis, has been eliminated from the U.S. Experts fear a resurgence if lifesaving vaccines are revoked under the new administration