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RFK Jr., Trump's health secretary pick, grilled about vaccines and abortion

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Wednesday.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Wednesday.

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Who: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Nominated for: Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services

You might know him from: A scion of the famous Democratic political dynasty, his uncle was President John F. Kennedy and his father was Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He in 2024, throwing his support President after withdrawing from the race. For decades, he's been one of the most activists in the country.

  • He has pushed the between vaccines and autism and other baseless claims, including that Wi-Fi causes cancer and that AIDS is not caused by HIV. 
  • During his campaign for president last year, he said that ban abortion.
  • He says he wants to shake up the health agency with a focus on and industry influence on things like and ultra-processed food.

What does this role do? The secretary leads HHS and all its health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It has one of the largest budgets in the federal government � $1.7 trillion annually.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Selena Simmons-Duffin reports on health policy for NPR.
Shannon Bond is a business correspondent at NPR, covering technology and how Silicon Valley's biggest companies are transforming how we live, work and communicate.

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