RFK Jr. Gets Good Sign Ahead Of HHS Confirmation Hearin

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has received encouraging news about his chances for Senate confirmation.

Rhode Island Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a longtime friend of Kennedy’s, may break party ranks to support his nomination, according to a report from WPRI. Their friendship dates back to their time as law school roommates.

A 1998 article from The Providence Journal described the close bond between the two: “On many mornings, the two young men, scions of wealthy families with histories of public service, hiked and hunted in the woods around Charlottesville, Va. Kennedy half-kiddingly says he failed his first bar exam because Whitehouse persuaded him to take a four-day whitewater rafting trip in West Virginia when he should have been studying.”

However, when asked about his vote on Kennedy’s confirmation, Whitehouse has remained noncommittal. “I’m not going to reveal how I’m voting [on] any nominee,” he told Politico last week. Similarly, he told Slate in a prior interview, “There’s a bunch of stuff that I want from HHS. So I’m going to hold my fire on that.”

Kennedy is set to face two Senate committees as part of the confirmation process, Fox News reported.

• The Senate Finance Committee, which oversees HHS, will hold its hearing next Wednesday.
• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will question Kennedy the following day.

Ultimately, the Senate Finance Committee will determine whether Kennedy’s nomination advances to a full Senate vote.

While Kennedy has gained potential support from at least one Democratic senator, he faces pushback from within the Republican Party.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has raised concerns about Kennedy’s past statements regarding vaccines. However, Cassidy’s office said the senator would reserve judgment until after meeting with Kennedy.

“Cassidy does not discuss his votes prior to meetings with the nominees and the Senate process playing itself out,” a spokesperson said.

Other Republicans have expressed skepticism as well. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, for instance, took issue with Kennedy’s views on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). “He’s made some statements about pigs and about GMO corn and soybeans. If he has a problem with that, he has a problem with me,” Grassley told Fox News.

Adding to the opposition, a group led by former Vice President Mike Pence has launched a campaign urging GOP senators to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Pence opposes Kennedy due to his previous support for abortion rights.

In a letter to senators, Tim Chapman and Marc Short of the Pence-founded Advancing American Freedom organization argued that Kennedy lacks a strong commitment to pro-life policies.

“While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time,” they wrote.

This is the second effort by Pence’s organization to block Kennedy’s confirmation. Shortly after President Trump announced the nomination, Pence publicly urged senators to reject him, citing Kennedy’s shifting stance on abortion.

Kennedy, who initially launched a 2024 presidential campaign as a Democrat, has faced criticism for inconsistent positions on abortion. While he once endorsed a ban after the first trimester, he later backtracked and expressed opposition to banning abortion before fetal viability, generally around 24 weeks of pregnancy.