RFK Jr. Confirmed As Trump’s Health Secretary Despite Opposition From Democrats And Mitch McConnell

Robert F. Kennedy is the new secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services despite his controversial stance on vaccines.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an avid advocate against vaccines, is now the Health Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Feb. 13, the Republican-led Senate voted to confirm RFK Jr. as the head of a department overseeing nearly 100,000 employees and 13 agencies, according to The Hill. The confirmation vote for the Department of Health and Human Services secretary was 52-48, with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) being the only Republican to vote against Kennedy’s appointment.

“In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world,” McConnell said in a statement explaining his vote. “I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.”

The confirmation follows a party-line vote by the Senate Finance Committee last week to advance Kennedy’s nomination. On Wednesday, the full Senate voted 53-47 along party lines to end debate and move the nomination forward.

Kennedy, the founder of one of the nation’s most prominent anti-vaccine organizations, concludes a controversial three-month confirmation battle that tested the Republican Party’s allegiance to President Donald Trump. For his nomination to be rejected, at least four Republicans would have to side with all Democrats.

Though Kennedy is a former Democrat, he has garnered support from Republican lawmakers in Congress despite his past comments on abortion rights. His history of anti-vaccine advocacy faced opposition from Democrats. During confirmation hearings, Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine, though he refused to refute his claims linking vaccines to autism. Instead, he advocated for vaccine safety, arguing that vaccines are not sufficiently tested—a claim experts widely dispute.

RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda emphasizes eliminating food additives and redirecting health agencies’ focus from infectious diseases to chronic conditions. He will also oversee the nation’s vaccine policy, a key component of the nearly $2 trillion federal health portfolio.