Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccines, is officially the U.S. Secretary of Health after the Senate voted to confirm him on Thursday. The vote was mostly split along party lines, with a 52-48 outcome. Kennedy will now oversee the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for 13 agencies and nearly 100,000 employees.
This vote ends a heated three-month confirmation process that raised big questions about the GOP’s loyalty to President Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against Kennedy, following a pattern of breaking with his party over some of Trump’s cabinet picks. McConnell has been vocal about his concerns regarding vaccine safety, particularly in regard to the polio vaccine.
Kennedy, who leads one of the country’s most prominent anti-vaccine organizations, will now be in charge of the nation’s vaccine policy. This is just one part of his new role, which also involves overseeing the vast federal health budget worth nearly $2 trillion.
The confirmation vote was essentially a formality after the Senate Finance Committee had already sent Kennedy’s nomination to the floor, also on a party-line vote. The full Senate voted Wednesday to end debate and advance the nomination with a 53-47 vote.
For Kennedy’s confirmation to fail, four Republicans would have needed to vote against him, but only one did. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) both decided to support Kennedy despite their concerns over his vaccine stance, even though they’ve opposed Trump’s picks in the past.
McConnell, who is a polio survivor, didn’t meet with Kennedy before the confirmation hearings. Last year, McConnell strongly criticized any attempts to revoke approval for the polio vaccine. Without directly naming Kennedy, he warned that anyone seeking Senate approval for a position in the new administration should avoid any association with anti-vaccine movements.
Though Kennedy used to be a Democrat, he has received support from nearly all Republican lawmakers. They’ve mostly brushed aside his anti-vaccine views and past statements on abortion, focusing instead on his ability to shake up the healthcare system. Many have embraced his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, which includes removing harmful food additives and shifting focus toward chronic health issues rather than just infectious diseases.
Throughout the confirmation process, liberal groups spent over $1 million campaigning against key GOP senators who might have been swing votes. Kennedy was also opposed by a group started by former Vice President Mike Pence, which criticized his pro-abortion views.
However, Kennedy’s close ties to Trump helped him secure solid Republican support. This situation highlights how Republicans, wary of angering Trump just weeks into his presidency, were determined to back his cabinet picks, no matter how controversial.
Anti-abortion groups mostly stayed quiet or gave Kennedy partial support, and many health organizations also kept a low profile, preventing Democrats from gaining crucial allies. Kennedy has pledged to challenge drugmakers and medical professionals, but these groups largely stayed silent during the confirmation fight.
During two intense confirmation hearings, Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine, even though he wouldn’t take back his claim that vaccines could be linked to autism. He positioned himself as someone who advocates for vaccine safety, claiming that vaccines don’t undergo enough testing—an idea that experts have debunked.
Kennedy also showed a lack of understanding on some key health policy issues. He stumbled when asked about programs like Medicaid and Medicare and had trouble explaining the differences between them.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a doctor and strong supporter of vaccines, was concerned about Kennedy’s qualifications for the role, especially given his long history of anti-vaccine activism. Cassidy openly questioned whether someone with such a track record could change his stance now that he would have a major influence on vaccine policy in the U.S.
Despite his doubts, Cassidy decided to support Kennedy after having discussions with the nominee and Vice President Vance, ultimately receiving last-minute reassurances about vaccine safety.
Democrats were vocal in their opposition right up to the final vote. They warned that confirming Kennedy would harm the nation’s health.
“A vote for RFK Jr. is a vote for a sicker America,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “In my view, this is the least qualified nominee ever for such an important position.”
Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) criticized Republicans for ignoring the risks, saying, “They know better, but they’re choosing to look the other way and pretend that RFK Jr. won’t use his new position to push his anti-vaccine agenda.”
