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Top Republican 'struggling' with RFK Jr.'s nomination over Kennedy's vaccine views

Kennedy refused to say vaccines don't cause autism during his hearings.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, and Mary Kekatos
Last Updated: January 30, 2025, 1:14 PM EST

President Donald Trump has promised he'd let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" on health, food and medicine as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy, a Democrat who ran as an independent but ended up supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, was grilled by senators over his views on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and more during two days of confirmation hearings.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news developed:
Jan 29, 2025, 8:43 AM EST

Kennedy set for grilling on vaccine views, food guidelines and more

Kennedy is sure to be asked about his past comments questioning vaccine science and the food industry.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, speaks during a meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 9, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

In private meetings with senators, Kennedy has been telling senators that he's not "anti-vaccine," but rather that he wants more study, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

Some Republicans have also said they want Kennedy, who was a Democrat before aligning with Trump in 2024, to clarify his position on abortion rights.

Read more about about what to expect from RFK's hearing here.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty, Will McDuffie, Cheyenne Haslett and Olivia Rubin

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