Senators of Both Parties Have Mixed Reactions to RFK Jr.’s Nomination

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (R), President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, meets with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) in the Senate Office Building in Washington on Dec. 17. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is President-elect Donald Trump’s intended nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has spent the week meeting with U.S. senators to seek their support for his confirmation. So far, across senators from both parties, he’s been getting a lukewarm reception.

Kennedy, who ran for president in 2024 before endorsing Trump, is widely known for his skepticism about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Since Trump announced Kennedy’s nomination, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)—a survivor of polio—publicly admonished him regarding his views. While Kennedy quickly announced that he supported the polio vaccine, other senators shared concerns with The Epoch Times about his views on agricultural pesticides and abortion, which could become key issues in the process of Senate confirmation.

“He’s got to understand more about farming and ranching,” said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who represents an agriculture-intensive state. “Whether it’s chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides; all those kinds of things are part of modern farming. ... Our farmers and ranchers work very, very hard to have not only the highest quality but the safest food supply. They’ve got a lot at stake. That’s their livelihood,” Hoeven said, adding that “we have to have a serious conversation.”

Kennedy has spoken critically of agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers, that are widely used to grow food crops in the United States. When announcing his nomination, Trump wrote that Kennedy would work to “ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.”

Senators from states where agriculture is a big industry mentioned that subject in the context of his nomination.

“He said the EPA is the one that’s going to handle the pesticide and herbicides,” said Sen. Tommy “Coach” Tuberville (R-Ala.) to The Epoch Times, following a meeting with Kennedy. “He knows the farmers are having a tough enough time as it is,” noting that he otherwise supported his policy positions. “He was good on vaccines. By the science, I mean. ... On COVID, you know, we were all used as guinea pigs. Let’s go by the science this time. That’s all he’s going to do.”

“I think that he understands how those pesticides are used. I think he understands what no-till farming is and that, if you want conservation practices like water conservation, no-till farming is important,” said Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), who represents another major farming state. “No-till farming” is a less common cultivation method by which the topsoil of farmland is not removed to implant nutrients and fertilizers—some of which Kennedy opposes—into the land; instead, the untilled soil is secured against erosion and retains healthy organisms.

Marshall said he believed Kennedy was conscious that some of his ideas could lead to higher grocery prices. “I think he also understands that some of those [policies] will be inflationary when it comes to groceries as well. ... President Trump has clearly said he wants to secure the border [and] he wants to lower grocery prices, so we have to thread this needle.”

Other Republican senators highlighted their concerns about Kennedy’s position on abortion. In the past, Kennedy has expressed pro-choice views and recently stated that he believes “abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks and restricted thereafter.”

“We actually met for about twenty-five minutes in my office and ... [talked] about his views on HHS and what they’re going to do for drug approval and for abortion issues,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a Baptist minister who has strongly criticized abortion. “He was pretty clear that the first Trump administration [at] HHS was a pro-life entity, and it will be again.”

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) focused on the delivery of abortion medications by mail.

“I told him it would be a wise idea to return to the rule under the last Trump administration, which required in-person dispensing [of abortion medication],” said Hawley. “[Currently], it doesn’t really matter how voters in the states vote if you [can] mail in chemical abortion drugs into the state ... so we talked about that. He acknowledged all of that.”

Hawley said that Kennedy promised “that he will not put his thumb on the scale for any pro-choice position; and he told me that, in general, he will implement all of the pro-life policies from [Trump’s] first term at HHS. We walked through those one by one, and he committed to them.”

Some Republicans have yet to make up their mind about Kennedy’s nomination or his views. “[I] don’t know yet,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told The Epoch Times.

Kennedy’s nomination is likely to be opposed by Democratic senators by mere virtue of his joining the Trump administration. Yet, some told The Epoch Times they may meet with Kennedy to allow him to make a case.

“I believe a number of the statements that he’s made are truly outlandish,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “I don’t believe they’ve asked for an appointment to meet, but if they do, I am going to meet with them,” he said of Kennedy’s team.

Other Democrats were also willing to sit down with the nominee.

“Yes, I am open to meeting him,” said Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.), who briefly shook hands with Kennedy on Dec. 18 as he met senators at the Russell Senate Office Building at the Capitol complex. “As far as I know, his dance card is full, but I think that they’re going to be back next year.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), said: “I disagree with his opposition to vaccines that he has apparently expressed in the past. I'll have to review his hands on other issues.”

His colleague, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), had more critical views.

“I think he is deeply hostile to science. ... I don’t think he has anything close to the qualifications necessary to run an organization of that size and complexity,” Murphy said, noting that he would meet with Kennedy if asked.

Regardless, Kennedy’s outreach has received positive feedback from senators, who suggest he may inevitably be approved and appointed. “Based on his most recent conversations, it sounds like a number of the questions [of] a lot of members ... have been answered,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “I think he’s getting closer to having a successful nomination.”

Kennedy didn’t respond to a question from The Epoch Times about his conversations with senators.