Sen. Warner Challenges RFK Jr. in Contentious Health Secretary Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a contentious confirmation hearing Wednesday, questioning his fitness to serve as Health and Human Services secretary under President-elect Donald Trump. The hearing highlighted deep divisions over Kennedy’s controversial views on vaccines, healthcare funding, and federal workforce policies.

Warner pressed Kennedy on his commitment to protecting federal employees, particularly those focused on food safety, amid Trump’s proposal to allow millions of workers to resign and work from home through September. “Has this individual in his business world ever fulfilled his contracts or obligations to any workers in the past?” Warner asked, referencing Trump’s track record. Kennedy responded, “I will commit to not firing anybody who’s doing their jobs,” but declined to provide specifics on how such assessments would be made.

The senator also raised concerns about Kennedy’s history of spreading vaccine misinformation, including the widely debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has long promoted anti-vaccine rhetoric and alternative health practices, such as drinking raw milk, which the FDA warns poses serious health risks.

Warner, who has supported four of Trump’s previous nominees, said he could not back Kennedy due to disagreements on key issues, including Medicaid and healthcare funding. “He has no idea where he is going to cut,” Warner said. “Is he going to cut the researchers at NIH just because they work on a vaccine that he doesn’t like?”

Kennedy, who ran as an independent in the 2024 presidential race before endorsing Trump, faced repeated interruptions from Warner during the hearing. The senator demanded “yes or no” answers on critical policy questions, underscoring the high stakes of the nomination. While Warner acknowledged Kennedy’s commitment to addressing chronic health issues, he cited broader disagreements as the basis for his opposition.

The hearing has drawn widespread attention from health experts and advocacy groups, many of whom have expressed alarm over Kennedy’s nomination. His controversial views and lack of traditional healthcare experience have fueled skepticism about his ability to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.