Robert F Kennedy Jr, one of President Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinets, has been sworn in as the next secretary in the United States of Health and Social Services.
The former presidential candidate will now oversee the main health agencies with around 80,000 employees and a budget of billions of dollars. Legislators on both sides of the aisle had questioned his baseless health claims and his vaccination skepticism.
Kennedy was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 on Thursday. No democrat supported it. The former head of the majority of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, was the only republican to vote against Kennedy.
Kennedy is the last named in the cabinet installed while the president seeks to quickly revise almost all levels of government.
The Senate ends the night and the mornings early as they hurry to complete the president’s office by confirming his remaining candidates. The legislators also approved Brooke Rollins at the head of the Ministry of Agriculture by a vote of 72-28.
Kennedy, who has shown ceremony at the Oval Office, is the second choice of controversial cabinet to be confirmed this week after Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed as director of national intelligence during a close vote of the Senate on Wednesday.
He will now supervise agencies such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Kennedy will also be responsible for supervising the American health industry which includes food security, pharmaceutical products, public health and vaccinations. He ran for the White House himself in 2024 as independent, but abandoned and supported Trump.
The president’s decision to operate Kennedy to lead the Federal Health Agency attracted the skepticism of several Republicans. Many have questioned Kennedy’s past comments on vaccinations, his links with groups with untreated health allegations and his opinions on abortion.
Kennedy is the founder of the anti-Vaccin group Children’s Health Defense, who has taken importance in the United States for questioning the safety and effectiveness of infantile vaccinations and discredited complaint that the blows are linked to the ‘autism.
Kennedy, the nephew of former president John F Kennedy, denied that he was anti-vaccination, stressing that his own children are immune. He insisted during his confirmation hearings that he simply supports stricter studies and security tests for injections.
Some Republicans have congratulated Kennedy for his criticisms of the use of food additives and pushed to brake Big Pharma.
During hearings, legislators also burned Kennedy on his promotion of the disinformation of health and knowledge of the American health system.
He was asked to explain his position on abortion because he previously indicated that he was in favor of abortion rights. He responded by telling the legislators that he agreed with Trump that access to abortion should be controlled by individual states and that “each abortion is a tragedy”.
The exchange has been the subject of a meticulous examination of the Democrats who accused Kennedy of “selling” his pro-Choix values in order to guarantee the appointment of President Trump.
One of his hearings was interrupted by criticisms of demonstrators. But he also received strong applause by promising to make America again healthy, a slogan used by the administration of Trump.
Before the hearing, Caroline Kennedy – Robert F Kennedy Jr’s cousin – urged American senators to reject him as the next secretary for health and social services. She said Kennedy’s opinions on vaccines disqualize him to be one of the main decision -makers of American health.
It was not enough to dissuade several Republicans who previously retained their support from Kennedy but who approved his appointment during Thursday’s vote.
Many eyes focused on the Senator of Louisiana, Bill Cassidy, a Republican, who chairs the Senate health committee.
Cassidy, a doctor, previously said that he was fighting with Kennedy’s position on vaccines. He voted to confirm Kennedy.
“We have to make America again healthy, and I expect secretary Kennedy to do it,” said Cassidy on X after the vote.
Others have watched McConnell, a Kennedy and Polio survivor critic. McConnell had warned Kennedy not to undermine the polio vaccine.
He voted against confirmation.
“Individuals, parents and families have the right to put pressure for a healthier nation and to request the best possible scientific advice on the prevention and treatment of diseases,” McConnell said in a statement. “But a trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding confidence in public health institutions does not allow Mr. Kennedy to direct these significant efforts.”
The Senate continues to move forward with Trump’s candidates. After confirming Kennedy, legislators should advance the appointment of Howard Lutnick as next trade secretary.
It takes the final vote for its confirmation to take place next week.
Legislators should also take the appointment of Kash Patel, the controversial choice of Trump to direct the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Kelly Loeffler, the choice of Trump for the Small Business Administrator, after the choices received the ‘Approval of a key committee Thursday.
Trump’s choice to lead the education department, Linda McMahon also had her confirmation audience on Thursday.
This puts a handful of choices of cabinets through a key obstacle and sets up confirmation votes from Lutnick and Loeffler on Tuesday, given the president’s long weekend.