Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cleared the first hurdle in his bid to become the nation’s top health official.
The Senate Finance Committee vote 14 to 13 on his nomination, with Democrats having raised concerns about his ties to anti-vaccine advocacy and potential financial conflicts, while Republicans were backing President Donald Trump’s pick.
Republicans Rally Behind Kennedy
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, once seen as a potential no vote, announced Monday that he would support Kennedy. With Democrats expected to oppose the nomination uniformly, Kennedy needs nearly all Republican votes to advance.
One key vote remained uncertain till the end — Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who has criticized Kennedy’s past statements on vaccines. During last week’s hearings, Cassidy urged Kennedy to disavow the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy refused, but Cassidy did not derail the nomination.
Democrats Raise Conflict of Interest Concerns
Democrats continue to question whether Kennedy could personally benefit from changes to vaccine policies. In a letter over the weekend, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden pointed out that Kennedy has made millions from referring clients to vaccine-related lawsuits and warned that his influence as health secretary could present ethical conflicts.
Kennedy has pledged to give all his referral fees to his son, including payments tied to lawsuits against Merck’s Gardasil vaccine. Over the past three years, he has earned $2.5 million from these deals. If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee vaccine recommendations and public health programs at a $1.7 trillion agency responsible for food and hospital safety, health insurance programs, and disease research.
Next Steps in the Confirmation Battle
The Senate Finance Committee’s decision indicated Kennedy’s intact chances in the full Senate, but it won’t be the final word. If the committee votes against him, Senate Majority Leader John Thune could still push for a full Senate vote. Even if Kennedy wins committee approval, he may still need to secure votes from Collins, Murkowski, and McConnell to ensure confirmation.
Kennedy, a longtime Democrat who ran for president before endorsing Trump, has built an unusual coalition around his movement to reshape public health. Branded as “Make America Healthy Again,” his vision combines conservative opposition to vaccines with liberal calls for government-backed nutrition reforms. Whether that message wins enough Senate votes remains to be seen.
