RFK Jr. Gets Great Confirmation News After His Hearing Draws to a Close

RFK Jr. Gets Great Confirmation News After His Hearing Draws to a Close

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has yet to secure confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services, but his chances improved on Thursday.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a pivotal swing vote in the Senate, reportedly told CNN’s Manu Raju that Kennedy had performed well during his hearings so far.

That’s an encouraging sign from the senator, but Collins has not reviewed all of Kennedy’s testimony, and he still faces skepticism from some GOP members.

“Susan Collins seems satisfied with RFK Jr’s answers to her questions but said she needs to review the rest of his responses since she was also at the Tulsi Gabbard hearing,” Raju shared in a post on the social media platform X.

Collins is widely regarded as one of the Senate Republicans most likely to break with President Donald Trump on controversial votes—having been one of only three GOP senators to oppose Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense. (The others were Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.)

However, even before Kennedy’s nomination reaches a full Senate vote, he may face resistance within the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions—particularly from a senator who has previously clashed with Trump.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who chairs the committee and is a physician himself, pressed Kennedy on his vaccine stance during Thursday’s hearing, according to The Associated Press.

Cassidy repeatedly urged Kennedy to disavow claims that measles and hepatitis B vaccines could cause autism, but Kennedy remained hesitant.

“If the data is there, I will absolutely do that,” he responded, leaving the impression that he remains unconvinced.

As the hearing wrapped up, Cassidy admitted he was “struggling” with whether to support Kennedy’s confirmation, the AP reported.

“Cassidy could single-handedly derail the nomination by voting NO in committee,” Raju noted in another X post. “He hasn’t said how he would vote.”

Cassidy has previously taken stances that frustrated conservatives, including backing gun control measures, and was one of only seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial—a move that resulted in censure from his own state’s Republican Party.

Kennedy’s nomination is shaping up to be a contentious battle, as he remains a divisive figure across the political spectrum.

Conservatives remain wary of a Kennedy dynasty member who, until recently, was deeply entrenched in liberal circles—an outlier in some respects, but still a product of political royalty. His alignment with Trump’s movement has been met with skepticism.

On the left, liberals who typically revere the Kennedy name are infuriated by RFK Jr.’s alliance with Trump, viewing it as an ideological betrayal.

His nomination as HHS Secretary has been among Trump’s more controversial selections—alongside Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s bid for Director of National Intelligence. How these nominations unfold remains uncertain.

One thing is clear: with Collins signaling some openness to Kennedy—at least for now—his chances just improved.

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