The US Senate confirms Robert F Kennedy, Jr. as a leader of health and human services | Donald Trump News

The United States Senate approved the former environmental lawyer Robert u Kennedy Jr. To lead the Ministry of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government (HHS) at the latter carefully divided vote over a cabinet candidate elected by President Donald Trump.

Voting on Thursday was narrow, given the history of Kennedy to perceive anti-vaxine views and health-related theories of conspiracy.

Fifty -two Of the 100 Senate members voted “Yes”, all of them members of the Republican Trump Party. Democrats and independent were arranged to offer 48 votes “No”.

There was a remarkable Republican defect: Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who survived from childhood and a former leader of the Senate party. He He had previously warned The nominees for Trump to “lead clearly” “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven treatments.”

The Democrat leader in the Senate, Chuck Sumer of New York, seeks to appeal the Republicans in the minutes before the vote. He called Kennedy's prospects to lead a Federal Department, charged with guaranteeing public health “dangerous”.

“My Republican colleagues, you know the consequences of what you do. My Republican colleagues, you know how dangerous this is. My colleagues on the other side, you know that you do not put your constituents – their health, their families – first, when you vote “yes”, said Sumer.

However, the Republicans have a small but solid majority in the Senate, occupying 53 seats.

And Trump has so far managed to receive all his candidates at high -level government positions, despite the controversy for some of them.

This includes director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, which was confirmed On Wednesday, despite past statements that sympathize with Russia's “legitimate security problems” after invading Ukraine in 2022.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Pete Heget was approved in January, although the Senate was evenly divided into 50-50 because of his nomination.

The questions had arisen The claims that Heget has been involved in sexual disorders and inappropriate behavior in past leadership roles. Vice President JD VANCE eventually tossed the voteS

Kennedy himself did not face a shortage of disputes at the beginning of the vote on Thursday.

His cousin, a former US ambassador Caroline Kennedy, issued Open letter Calling it a “predator” who continues to “lie and cheat on his way through life.”

Democrats also strive to emphasize its history of skepticism of the vaccine and its lack of experience in the medical field.

Although testimonies in his hearing to confirm that his own children were vaccinated, Kennedy publicly spread debut conspiracy theories connecting autism vaccinations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he also made false allegations, claiming that the virus could be manufactured to target certain groups.

“There is an argument that it is ethnically directed. Covid-19 attacks some competitions disproportionately, “Kennedy quoted in The New York Post at a public event. “Covid-19 is aimed at attacking Caucasians and black people.”

In addition, in June 2019, Kennedy visited Samoa shortly before the measles of the measles killed 83 people in the island country.

While Kennedy denied his trip to be for vaccines, Instagram account showed He hugs a skeptic of a vaccine during his visit with an inscription that included the hashgug “Investigate before the vaccination”.

Samoan health officials, including Health CEO Alec Ecrooma, have since been accused of helping to spread doubt about the efficacy of vaccinations as a prevention tool.

However, the Republicans stood up to Kennedy, who was a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. Initially, Kennedy entered the race as a Democrat, just to announce in October 2023 that he would rule as an independent.

However, in August, Kennedy ended his proposal for president And he threw his support behind Trump, who promised to release him “to be on health.”

Kennedy, for her part, joined Trump along the campaign path, offering Trump's own rotation of “Make America Great again”: “Make America healthy again.”

The Republicans on Thursday quickly rejected fears that pursued Kennedy's nomination.

“Contrary to the attacks that were constantly performed on him, he made it clear that he would support safe vaccinations and just wanted to see that the research on them was being done and doing well,” said Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho.

He added that Kennedy would bring a “new prospect of healthcare”.

“I agree with him. We have to get into the business again to make America healthy again. “

But in his last words before Thursday's vote, Sumer warned Republicans against the following of Trump's pursuit, approved by Kennedy for a high -level health position, calling it “wrong, very wrong”.

He encouraged the Republicans to resemble the party leadership and vote with their conscience.

“Today, the issue with this body is not simply to confirm RFK to manage the National Health Department. The question before us is very simple: which is more important to you? The health and well -being of your voters or blindly obey the orders? “