RFK Jr. faces questions on his stances and past statements at confirmation hearing. BREAKING NEWS!!!

4 things to know from RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearing
It was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s turn in the hot seat as he appeared before senators for the first of two hearings to be the next secretary of health and human services.

While several of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks have stirred up controversy, Kennedy’s nomination is unique in that it has drawn opposition from those on the left and the right. The 3½-hour hearing before the Senate Finance Committee gave Kennedy his highest-profile opportunity yet to address concerns.

Here are the key takeaways:

Vaccines: As expected, Kennedy’s long history of hostility toward vaccines was a major line of questioning. Kennedy tried to get ahead of it in his opening statement, declaring he is not “anti-vaccine or anti-industry” but “pro-safety,” as Natasha Korecki reports.

But Democrats didn’t buy it. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the committee, pressed Kennedy about his comments on a 2023 podcast in which he said, “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” Kennedy said the quote was taken out of context.

“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,” he said.

Abortion: Similarly, Kennedy, a former Democrat, sought to backtrack on his past comments about abortion rights, which have been a concern for conservatives.

While he was running for president last year, Kennedy said on a podcast that he would support allowing women to have abortions at full term. Days later, he walked his position back, writing on X that “abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks, and restricted thereafter.”

Kennedy faced questions from senators on both sides of the aisle about his position. And he tried to align himself with Trump, saying abortion policy should be left to the states. He also added that Trump asked him to study the abortion pill mifepristone.

“I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy,” Kennedy said, a line he repeated several times at the hearing. “I serve at the pleasure of the president. I’m going to implement his policies.”

Medicaid: While Kennedy didn’t face much in the way of opposition from Republicans, he was tripped up during a line of questioning from Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., about Medicaid.

For instance, Kennedy said Medicaid premiums and deductibles were too high, saying most people who use it are “not happy.” But most people on Medicaid aren’t charged for premiums or deductibles, and polls generally show the public views the program favorably.

Cassidy will be a key factor in Kennedy’s path to confirmation. A doctor, Cassidy also chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which will hold a confirmation hearing for Kennedy on Thursday. Cassidy hasn’t said how he plans to vote on Kennedy.