RFK Gets Sworn In
- Timmothy Chen
- Feb 16
- 2 min read
On Feb. 13, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as the 26th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
RFK”s inauguration took place in the Oval Office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Neil Gorsuch after the Senate had confirmed Trump’s appointment with a close 52-48 vote. Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote against Kennedy, as McConnell is a polio survivor. Kennedy's past regarding his opposition to the polio vaccine caused concerns among McConnell and Democrat lawmakers.
Kennedy's confirmation has been met with significant controversy because of his anti-vaccine stance. Many experts fear that his presence could undermine public health and promote the spread of conspiracy theories.
According to Business Insider, “Bennet read a quote from one of Kennedy's books saying that ‘African AIDS’ is ‘entirely different’ from "Western AIDS." Kennedy said he was not sure if he said that.”
In his role as HHS Secretary, Kennedy will oversee many agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During his confirmation hearings, he tried to pull away from his anti-vaccine image, claiming he actually supports them.
A key vote for Kennedy getting his role was Republican Bill Cassidy who heads the Senate health committee. Although skeptical at first, he ended up voting for Kennedy. "Ultimately restoring trust in our public health institutions is too important, and I think Mr. Kennedy can help get that done," Cassidy said.
Kennedy has pledged to address chronic diseases, aiming to reduce corporate influence in health. He promises to look at chronic health issues and regulate food and pharmaceutical industries.
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