Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, spoke before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, where both Democrats and Republicans pressed him with tough questions. Reuters
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats during a tense three-hour Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday. Senators pressed him on his recent vaccine decisions, which clash with policies from Donald Trump’s first term, when his administration fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine development.
Firing of CDC director sparks outrage
Much of the questioning focused on Kennedy’s firing of Susan Monarez, who had served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for only a month. Kennedy insisted she lied about the reasons behind her dismissal. He suggested more firings may follow, arguing the agency misled the public during the COVID pandemic.
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden accused Kennedy of undermining trust and called for his resignation. Monarez, in an opinion column, said Kennedy tried to force her to pre-approve vaccine recommendations, a claim Kennedy denied. Her removal triggered resignations from several senior CDC officials.
Republicans walk a tightrope
Republican senators praised Trump’s pandemic vaccine rollout while challenging Kennedy on his approach. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, asked if Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for the COVID vaccine initiative. Kennedy agreed. Cassidy then pressed him on his past comments suggesting vaccines killed more people than COVID. Kennedy denied making such claims but later admitted vaccines saved lives, though he could not give figures.
Senator John Barrasso, another Republican physician, criticized Kennedy’s actions, pointing to recent measles outbreaks and concerns within the National Institutes of Health. He reminded Kennedy that during his confirmation hearings, he promised to uphold strong vaccine standards.
Democrats push back harder
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell displayed a chart showing how vaccines eliminated or nearly eliminated diseases like polio and measles. She accused Kennedy of ignoring clear evidence. “This is what was delivered with vaccines, and you don’t want to support that,” she said. Another senator bluntly called him a “charlatan.”
When Senator Mark Warner asked if Kennedy accepted that one million Americans died from COVID, Kennedy replied, “I don’t think anybody knows.” Warner shot back, questioning how someone serving as health secretary could be so uninformed.
Policy changes stir more anger
Since taking office, Kennedy has narrowed eligibility for COVID shots and dismissed all 17 members of a CDC vaccine advisory board, replacing some with vaccine skeptics. He also cancelled $500 million in funding for mRNA research, which underpins widely used vaccines.
These moves drew fire from across the aisle, fueling demands for his resignation. More than 1,000 current and former health officials have voiced concern about his leadership. Despite repeated pushback, Kennedy stood by his decisions, saying he aims to rebuild public trust by changing how the CDC operates.
