Maine Sen. Susan Collins voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday while Sen. Angus King joined every Democrat in voting against a Trump Cabinet nominee that he described as a "danger" to public health.
Kennedy is an attorney and health activist whose nomination was strongly opposed by many medical professionals because of his years-long track record of questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Thursday's 52-48 Senate vote fell largely along party lines, with Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell — the longtime Republican leader and a polio survivor — joining Democrats to oppose Kennedy.
King, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said in a Senate floor speech Wednesday night that Kennedy was"grossly unqualified" to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. King also called Kennedy "hostile" to the mission of the agency because of his anti-vaccine advocacy and his earlier vows to sideline research on infectious diseases.
"This man is not only unqualified, he is anti-qualified," King said. "He is a danger. We have physicians in the Senate. I believe the Hippocratic oath should also apply to Senate votes. You should not be voting for someone who you know will do harm to the public health."
Kennedy has been a vocal anti-vaccine activist for years, although he disputed that description during his Senate confirmation hearings. Kennedy said he would re-focus federal agencies on chronic health issues. A group that he leads, Children's Health Defense, is one of the leading voices in the national anti-vaccine movement.
Collins, a Republican, said earlier this week that she would support the nominee. Collins, who has been the object of an intense pressure campaign from both sides over Kennedy, said the nominee assured her that he would not restrict access to the polio vaccine and supports ongoing research to develop a vaccine for Lyme disease, which has become increasingly prevalent in Maine.
Collins said Kennedy also pledged, if confirmed, to re-examine Trump administration cuts to biomedical research funding that the senator said would be devastating to important projects in Maine.
"In general, I give deference to presidents to build their own team, whether they are Democratic presidents or Republican presidents," Collins said.
More than 180 Maine doctors co-signed a letter endorsed by roughly 22,000 physicians nationwide that called Kennedy unqualified to lead such an important department and "actively dangerous" to public health.
But King railed against Kennedy during his floor speech, accusing the nominee of suddenly changing his years-long stance on vaccines during the confirmation process and of continuing to push a long-refuted theory that vaccines can cause autism. He also read recent statements from Kennedy where he reportedly said employees at the Federal Drug Administration should "pack your bags."
"If this were a secret ballot, this man wouldn't get 20 votes," King said. "Everybody in this body knows he's not qualified. Everybody in this body knows he has no business anywhere near this position. But here we are."
Kennedy sought the Democratic nomination for president during the 2024 campaign but never gained momentum due to his history of anti-vaccine activism and support of conspiracy theories. He briefly ran as an independent before withdrawing from the race and endorsing Trump, who pledged to make him a key part of his administration.
Kennedy is the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. Other members of the Kennedy family strongly opposed his run for president and his nomination to be a member of Trump's Cabinet because of his embrace of conspiracy theories and his anti-vaccination advocacy.
