Democrats highlight RFK Jr.'s past support for abortion rights
Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee hit on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s past comments in support of abortion rights during his Wednesday confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, but accused him of hypocrisy for telling Republicans he'd back President Donald Trump's anti-abortion policies.
'When was it that you decided to sell out the values you've had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?' Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) asked.
During Hassan's questioning, staffers held up posters with Kennedy's past comments on abortion, including during a 2023 interview on the Charlie Kirk Show in which Kennedy said: 'We need to trust women to make that choice, because I don't trust government to make any choices … particularly when it comes to bodily autonomy.'
Staffers for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also held up posters with photos of infant onesies being sold by the Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy, which featured phrases including 'Unvaxxed, unafraid' and 'No vax, no problem.'
'Are you supportive of these onesies?' Sanders asked. Kennedy responded that he has no control over the group. According to public financial disclosures, Kennedy left the board of the organization in December.
Kennedy repeatedly told senators he thinks 'every abortion is a tragedy' and said his family was 'split on life and choice.'
Before Trump named him to lead HHS, Kennedy argued for fewer government restrictions on abortion. Less than a year ago, he said there should be no restrictions on abortion — a position he later walked back.
Since Trump nominated him, Kennedy has assured senators he wants to execute Trump's agenda, not his own — a stance that has seemed to satisfy even Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), previously a Southern Baptist minister who describes himself as 'the Senate's most pro-life member.' Other anti-abortion senators have asked Kennedy for more assurances.
Under questioning from Montana Republican Steve Daines , Kennedy said Trump has asked him to study the safety of mifepristone, a drug used in the medication abortion regimen standard in the U.S., adding that the president hasn't yet 'taken a stand on how to regulate it.'
'It's immoral to have a policy where patients are not allowed to report adverse events, or doctors are discouraged from doing that,' Kennedy said.
No such policy exists at the FDA, the agency charged with monitoring the safety and effectiveness of drugs. The regulator recently updated its summary of adverse event reports regarding mifepristone based on data received through the end of 2024, though it cautions that it can't verify whether reported events are 'causally attributed' to the drug.
The Trump administration's stance on mifepristone and other abortion access policies are a central question for anti-abortion and abortion rights groups alike.
In response to a question from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kennedy said he'd support Trump policies on the Title X federal family planning program. During his first term, Trump barred federally funded clinics from referring patients to abortion providers. That prompted abortion and women's health care provider Planned Parenthood to pull out of the Title X program.
Daniel Payne contributed reporting.
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