Vice President Vance Defends HHS Secretary Kennedy Amid Senate Finance Committee Criticism

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced intense bipartisan scrutiny during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where lawmakers questioned his management of vaccine policies and the CDC. Kennedy was challenged for his conflicting statements on vaccines, his firing of the CDC director, and his general handling of public health matters, leading to a contentious exchange with senators from both parties. Vice President JD Vance strongly defended Kennedy, accusing Democratic senators of hypocrisy for supporting what he described as harmful and untested hormonal therapies for children, and criticized them harshly on social media. Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden, accused Kennedy of undermining public health and elevating conspiracy theories, while Republicans like Sen. Bill Cassidy pressed Kennedy on vaccine access concerns. The hearing also saw several Democratic senators face setbacks when their attempts to discredit Kennedy faltered. Overall, the event highlighted deep divisions over health policy within the Senate and fierce loyalty from the Trump administration toward Kennedy amid the controversy.