Designated by Donald Trump to lead the Ministry of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was heard Wednesday January 29 in the Senate during a hearing prior to a vote on his appointment. The elected democrats put him in difficulty by questioning him about his vaccinosceptic remarks and his contradictory positions on abortion, when he repeatedly tangled brushes about major public health programs.
“Today you deny under oath to be against vaccines, but during an interview with a podcast in July 2023, you said, I quote: ‘No vaccine is safe and effective’, notably thundered the senator Ron Wyden. A few minutes before, RFK Jr. had assured members of the Senate finance committee not to be “antivaccin” but “for security”, arousing the protest of a woman in the hearing, quickly exfiltrated.
Heir to the Kennedy dynasty, the former democrat who has recently joined Donald Trump promised that he would put himself behind the opinion of the Republican in matters of reproductive rights and would re -evaluate “the security” of a pill used in the majority of abortions in the United States. “I agree with President Trump to say that each abortion is a tragedy,” said this lawyer in the 71 -year -old environment, who was still defending the idea that women can abort Throughout their pregnancy. A “flip-flop” castigated by the Democrats, who accused him of having “sold his values” to ensure the support of the Republicans.
“Salads”
During a hearing of more than three hours, the senators insisted on his positions as well as the policies he intends to conduct, while many scientists and health professionals have expressed strong concerns about it. In recent years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suggested that AIDS could be caused by something other than the HIV virus and praised the profits of non -pasteurized milk feared by health agencies, especially since many cattle has been contaminated by avian flu in the United States. He also made the relay of numerous conspiracy theories on vaccines against COVID-19 as on alleged ties between vaccination and autism, in particular through the organization Children’s Health Defense which he co-founded.
Positions which he strongly minimized before the senators, arousing the ire of several elected officials. “He told us salads,” said Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.
While defending himself, in particular about his income from legal proceedings against pharmaceutical companies, RFK JR. tried to promote his program. “Americans are the most sick people on earth,” he said, committing to fight junk food, “main responsible” for chronic diseases. Trying to convince the skeptical Republicans, RFK JR. however assured that any change would be made in coordination with the farmers.
The date of vote for his still unknown appointment
The septuagenarian, who was an independent candidate for the last presidential election before forming an unlikely alliance with Donald Trump, also advocated “radical transparency” of the health authorities, whom he has in the past accused of corruption. “I undertake to dismiss any of those who do a good job,” he replied to worried senators, while several times bringing brushes about major public health programs.
If his appointment was voted by the Senate, he would take the lead of a federal agency employing more than 80,000 people. The date of this vote has not been announced.
Apart from his positions, it is also the personality of the nephew of the murdered president JFK who is debated. On the eve of her hearing, her cousin Caroline Kennedy enjoined the senators to reject the appointment of the one she describes as “predator”, and who was addicted to the heroine in her youth. “He liked to show how he put babies chickens and mice in a mixer robot to feed his hawks,” she wrote in a letter.
The Senate has so far validated each of Donald Trump’s appointments, despite the criticisms of some of them, such as Pete Hegseth, who became Minister of Defense and targeted by accusations of sexual assault and excessive alcohol consumption.