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ROBERT F. JENNEDY Jr told a US Senate confirmation hearing today that he supports President Donald Trump’s anti-abortion policies.
Trump’s appointment for Health Secretary also claimed at the make-or-break hearing that he was “pro-vaccine”.
Kennedy has been grilled on his history of promoting vaccine misinformation, as well as plans to upend US science agencies.
RFK Jr., a son of the Democratic Kennedy dynasty and one of the most prominent vaccine sceptics in the US, looks set to take the helm of a department overseeing more than 80,000 employees and a $1.7 trillion budget.
To get to the US Senate for a vote of his nomination, Kennedy needs to have two committee hearings, one before the Finance committee today and another in front of the Health, Education, Labour and Pension committee tomorrow.
Critics argue he is dangerously unqualified, citing his promotion of debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to autism, his suggestion that HIV does not cause AIDS, and accusations that he fueled anti-measles vaccine sentiment in Samoa during a 2019 visit, months before a deadly outbreak.
Abortion
Kennedy was vocal in his support for Trump’s anti-abortion policies, including ending federal funding for the procedure at home and abroad and protecting conscious exemptions for anti-abortion health workers.
“I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy. I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year,” he told the Senate confirmation hearing.
It was not immediately clear what figure he was citing. The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health policy and research group, estimates there were just over a million US abortions in 2023.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“President Trump has told me that he wants to end late-term abortions. He wants to protect conscious exemptions,” Kennedy added.
Kennedy was previously assumed to be pro-choice, with his presidential campaign site featuring some quotes which seem to contradict hardline pro-life views.
“I’m for choice and medical freedom. We need to trust mothers to make the best decisions,” a quote attributed to Kennedy says on the site.
In a campaign video last June, Kennedy said he believes that “abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks and restricted thereafter”.
“I have never seen any major politician flip on that issue quite as quickly as you did when President Trump tapped you to become HHS secretary,” Senator Bernie Sanders said during the hearing, noting Kennedy had until recently supported abortion rights.
“When was it that you decided to sell out the values you’ve had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?”Sen.