The News
The US Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Thursday to lead the Health and Human Services Department. The former Democrat was confirmed by 52-48 votes, with former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell the lone Republican to vote no along with Democrats.
A long-time vaccine skeptic and former environmental lawyer, Kennedy’s appointment was widely decried by public health and science experts as posing a danger to America’s healthcare system and the country’s medical research community. In confirmation hearings held in the weeks before the vote, senators of both parties had quizzed Kennedy on his position on vaccines and other public health issues.
In a statement following Thursday’s vote, McConnell — a polio survivor — said that Kennedy’s “record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions” meant he could not vote for him.
Kennedy’s confirmation comes a day after the Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard to director of national intelligence — Gabbard was also seen as a controversial pick, but her confirmation, as well as Kennedy’s and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s, show that “when push comes to shove” Republicans are closing ranks to back Trump, the BBC wrote.