RFK Jr. Visits Capitol Hill In Bid To Win Over GOP Senators
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to address any doubts surrounding his nomination as he begins meetings with Senate Republicans this week regarding his role as head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Kennedy is among the most prominent figures nominated for Trump’s Cabinet, alongside other notable picks such as Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) for a significant intelligence position. Both nominations have sparked considerable debate, as reported by The Hill on Sunday.
Trump’s initial nominee for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), withdrew after facing internal GOP opposition.
While RFK Jr. was initially viewed as a contentious choice, Senate Republicans have largely refrained from criticizing his nomination publicly. Sources within the GOP suggest Kennedy has a strong chance of confirmation, especially compared to Hegseth and Gabbard.
“He’s in a good spot. You haven’t really heard much consternation about his nomination at all in recent weeks,” a Senate GOP aide told The Hill.
The same aide indicated that Republicans expect Kennedy to prioritize “Make America Health Again” initiatives and that he has distanced himself from more progressive abortion policies.
“If that turns out to be true, I think he’ll be on a glide path to being confirmed,” the aide added.
Kennedy’s upcoming schedule includes a meeting with GOP health staffers on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. This is a routine step ahead of his meeting with the committee’s incoming chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is a medical doctor.
Cassidy, one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial, has remained largely quiet on Kennedy’s nomination, stating only that he wants the confirmation process to proceed naturally. When Kennedy was first nominated, Cassidy remarked that Kennedy “has championed issues like healthy foods and the need for greater transparency in our public health infrastructure.”
Kennedy has long argued that the surge in chronic illnesses across the U.S. is linked to ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, and chemical additives. He has advocated for a ban on fluoridated water and supports increased access to raw milk.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) expressed interest in discussing genetically modified foods with Kennedy, noting its significance to American farmers.
Kennedy Jr., a member of a family once considered political royalty in Democratic circles since the 1960s, left the Democratic Party earlier this year. Running as an Independent for the presidential nomination, he has turned much of his attention to improving children’s health, particularly through their diets.
“We have a generation of kids who are swimming around in a toxic soup right now,” Kennedy previously told Fox News. “We’re letting these industries corrupt our agencies and mass poison them.”
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel recently discussed Kennedy’s HHS plans on Fox & Friends, focusing on the dangers of ultra-processed foods, which make up 73% of the U.S. food supply. Siegel highlighted food dyes as a particular concern.
“Food coloring is a problem,” Siegel explained. “Red Dye No. 3 has been banned in Europe. They’re banning it in California. It’s been associated with cancer in animals.” Siegel added that some studies have linked food dyes to hyperactivity in children.
He noted that while both Democrats and Republicans have called for bans on harmful food dyes, these efforts often face heavy resistance from the food industry and its lobbying efforts.
“There’s a concern here that if this ends up with more regulations, that will drive prices up—and food grocery store prices are already a problem,” Siegel said. Still, he supported Kennedy’s focus on the dangers of ultra-processed foods, particularly for children.
According to Siegel, additives like MSG and high-fructose corn syrup are among the most damaging, as they directly contribute to rising obesity rates.