The Senate voted 52–48 to approve Trump’s nominee to lead the nation’s most prominent health department.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose nomination by President Donald Trump as secretary of health and human services was highly scrutinized by lawmakers, was confirmed to that post by the Senate on Feb. 13 in a 52–48 vote.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a polio survivor, previously voiced concerns about Kennedy’s vaccine views and he voted against confirming Kennedy—the only Republican to cast a no vote. He also voted against the confirmations of Tulsi Gabbard for national director of intelligence and Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.
Kennedy will head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which manages 13 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health.
Kennedy has promised significant changes throughout the department.
Under the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign as HHS secretary, Kennedy aims to curtail what he calls the chronic disease epidemic by addressing the so-called “corporate capture” of federal health agencies and removing toxic chemicals from the nation’s food supply, among other objectives.
Kennedy has said he believes that little will change for Americans’ health until the influence of giant corporations on the FDA, the CDC, and the Department of Agriculture is addressed.
Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat and then as an independent before leaving the race in August 2024 and backing then-former President Donald Trump.
He previously told The Epoch Times that it was a “heart-wrenching decision” and a necessary step toward achieving his mission of saving Americans from the debilitating chronic disease epidemic.
Upon ending his White House bid, Kennedy established the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement and vowed to end the nation’s chronic disease epidemic.
“The first thing I’ve done every morning for the past 20 years is get on my knees and pray to God that He would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic and to help America’s children,” Kennedy said in August 2024, when he decided to endorse Trump.
Fighting chronic disease, improving children’s health, and addressing corporate influence on government agencies were vital parts of Kennedy’s stated presidential campaign platform.
