Republican senators are sending strong messages to President Donald Trump about their unhappiness with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawmakers are making it clear they want the administration to fix the problems Kennedy has caused by trying to change the nation’s vaccine policies. During a Senate hearing on Thursday, Kennedy faced tough questions from both Republican and Democratic senators about his handling of health agencies and vaccine recommendations.
The hearing came after a week of major changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kennedy fired CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month after the Senate confirmed her. Four senior officials then quit in protest. Kennedy also fired all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee in June and replaced them with people who question vaccine safety. These moves have created confusion about who Americans can trust for health advice.
According to The Hills, Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, warned Kennedy during the hearing that he would keep asking questions until he got answers. “I’m going to get to the bottom of it,” Tillis said. “If I get no answer, I’m going to assume the worst-case scenario.” Tillis said Kennedy’s actions seemed to go against promises he made during his confirmation hearings not to make it harder for people to get vaccines.
Republican doctors express serious concerns about vaccine access
Two Republican senators who are also doctors spoke out strongly against Kennedy’s vaccine policies. Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, an orthopedic surgeon, told Kennedy he had “grown deeply concerned” since Kennedy took over the health department. “I support vaccines. I’m a doctor. Vaccines work,” Barrasso said. He pointed to measles outbreaks and confusion at health agencies as troubling signs that Americans don’t know who to trust.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate health committee and was a key vote in confirming Kennedy, also challenged the health secretary. Cassidy read examples of people who couldn’t get COVID-19 vaccines because of Kennedy’s policy changes. “I would say, effectively, we’re denying people vaccines,” Cassidy said bluntly. Cassidy had gotten promises from Kennedy during confirmation hearings that he would not restrict vaccine access, but the senator now says Kennedy has broken those commitments.
Cassidy also pointed out a contradiction in Kennedy’s views. He asked Kennedy if Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed, the program that developed COVID-19 vaccines during Trump’s first term. When Kennedy said “absolutely,” Cassidy noted that Kennedy had previously sued to restrict access to those same vaccines. The exchange showed the tension between Trump’s pride in the vaccine program and Kennedy’s long history of questioning vaccine safety. Polls show that only 26 percent of Americans somewhat trust Kennedy’s medical advice, while 48 percent distrust him completely.
Published: Sep 5, 2025 10:06 am