Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced off against Democrats in a charged Senate hearing on Thursday, following the controversial dismissal of CDC Director Susan Monarez.
According to Breitbart, the session revealed deep divisions over vaccine policy and trust in public health institutions. Kennedy held his ground against a barrage of accusations, turning the spotlight back on his critics with sharp rebuttals.
Outside the Capitol, Democrats staged a rally demanding Kennedy’s resignation before the hearing even began. Inside, however, their attempts to corner him faltered as he refused to back down from pointed exchanges.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon accused Kennedy of endangering children by challenging the status quo on health policy. Kennedy fired back, questioning why Wyden had done so little to address the surge in chronic diseases among American kids.
Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado criticized Kennedy for dismissing a panel of vaccine experts, claiming it undermined public safety. Kennedy retorted that Bennet had been silent when pharmaceutical interests pushed their own agendas, asking, “Where were you then?”
Bennet then pressed Kennedy on vaccine safety, alleging he spread falsehoods, to which Kennedy responded, “Are you saying, Senator, that the mRNA has never been associated with myocarditis or pericarditis?” When Bennet dodged the question, Kennedy pressed harder, noting, “You’re evading the question,” only to be shut down with Bennet’s insistence that he controlled the dialogue.
The firing of Monarez loomed large, with Democrats citing her Wall Street Journal op-ed claiming Kennedy dismissed her for refusing to rubber-stamp a new vaccine panel’s conclusions. Kennedy flatly denied her account, affirming “yes” when asked if he was calling her untruthful.
He further clarified that he never met privately with Monarez, insisting he could provide witnesses to every meeting during his tenure. His stated reason for her dismissal was simple: when asked if she was trustworthy, she admitted she was not.
Democrats, visibly frustrated, often interrupted Kennedy, barely allowing him to respond to their claims of corruption and deceit. Their tone, at times shouting over him, suggested more interest in scoring points than seeking clarity on his decisions.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts attacked Kennedy for removing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy individuals, arguing he broke a promise to ensure access for all. Kennedy countered that the vaccines remained available and free for most, though Warren insisted out-of-pocket costs in some states proved otherwise.
He didn’t let her off easily, highlighting her acceptance of $855,000 from pharmaceutical companies and questioning her push for vaccines without clear clinical need. Warren’s defense of Monarez fell flat when Kennedy reminded her she had recently voted against confirming the former director.
Other revelations emerged, including Kennedy’s assertion that the Biden administration had skewed public data on the abortion drug mifepristone. This claim added fuel to the fire, as Democrats like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont challenged Kennedy’s stance on past initiatives like Operation Warp Speed.
Kennedy acknowledged the initial success of the Warp Speed vaccine, stating it “perfectly matched” the virus at the time and likely saved lives. Yet, he emphasized that mutations rendered it less effective against later spread, a point Democrats seemed unwilling to engage with.
Repeatedly, Kennedy accused his critics of fabricating his positions, saying they were “making stuff up” about his views and statements. Despite the relentless pressure and calls for his resignation, he stood resolute, refusing to step down.
This hearing exposed not just a clash of personalities but a fundamental rift over how public health should be managed in America. While Democrats painted Kennedy as a reckless outlier, his pointed challenges to their own records suggest the debate over trust in institutions is far from one-sided.
