As GOP Rallies For Controversial Trump Nominees, Senate Committee Approves RFK Jr. For HHS Secretary; Gabbard Moves Forward For Intelligence Director

President Donald Trump’s controversial health and human services secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. Kennedy is one of the nation’s most prominent vaccine critics. There has been great uncertainty surrounding RFK Jr.’s nomination after he stumbled on questions about Medicare and Medicaid and backpedaled past vaccine and abortion stances.  

During his confirmation hearing, Kennedy did not renounce controversial opinions from the past, including suggesting that vaccines cause autism. However, he did insist at the hearing that he was “pro-vaccine” and believed immunizations “have saved millions of lives.”

All 14 Republicans on the Finance panel voted to advance his nomination, making it a vote along party lines. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) was a potential swing vote who ultimately supported Kennedy. A doctor, Cassidy, said he was “struggling” to decide.

Before Tuesday’s vote, Cassidy posted to X that he had “very intense conversations” with Kennedy and the White House over the weekend. He said that the administration promised “serious commitments” and “the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on, like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda,” citing this as the rationale for his vote.

Additionally, the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced Trump nominee Tulsi Gabbard, placing her on the path to becoming the director of national intelligence. Like RFK Jr.’s confirmation, she was approved on a 9-8 party-line vote. 

During Gabbard’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Todd Young (R-Indiana) seemed frustrated by Gubbard’s refusal to call former NSA intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who leaked thousands of classified documents, a traitor. However, she backtracked on a previous call for Snowden to be pardoned. Gubbard promised Young she would hold officials who make unauthorized disclosures of classified material accountable.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed support for Gabbard on X, calling Mr. Young a “deep state puppet.” Musk deleted the post and made another, saying that he had spoken to Young. “I stand corrected,” Musk wrote. “Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.”