The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, a victory for President Trump after Kennedy faced weeks of scrutiny over his controversial views.
Senators voted 52-48 to confirm Kennedy, which fell largely along party lines, with only one Republican — Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — joining Democrats in opposing the nomination. In his statement explaining why he voted against Kennedy, McConnell cited his history with polio, saying that in his lifetime he’s “watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world… and will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures.” McConnell added: “Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but restore trust in our public health institutions.”
The 71-year-old Kennedy — the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy — is a longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, with no health care experience. As HHS secretary, he will now lead a wide range of federal health care agencies that include healthcare coverage for the elderly and poor, drug approval, food industry along with examining potential worldwide health threats such as outbreaks and pandemics. The HHS department includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration.
Kennedy worked for two decades as president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a nonprofit. He also founded Children’s Health Defense, which has launched legal challenges against vaccine requirements and approvals, and served as its chairman beginning in 2016. Kennedy is married to actor Cheryl Hines, and has six children.
Kennedy launched his own White House bid in 2023, initially seeking the Democratic nomination before changing his bid to independent. He later dropping out of the race to endorse President Trump in August 2024.
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