Trump Official Faces Heat in Senate Hearing as MAGA Allies Rally to His Defense
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled by Democrats and some Republicans this week on his vaccine policy and leadership style in a stormy Senate Finance Committee meeting. Kennedy defended his recent decisions, including controversial reforms at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while Trump camp Republican backers praised him on social media.
After Kennedy abruptly fired Dr. Susan Monarez, CDC director for less than a month, the scrutiny on him increased. Four senior executives resigned and more than 1,000 Health and Human Services personnel signed a letter demanding Kennedy’s resignation. They accused him of endangering public health in their statement. This controversy led to a heated session when senators questioned his public health policies.
Kennedy engaged in heated exchanges with GOP senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Barrasso of Wyoming, both physicians who criticized his vaccine policy. Barrasso reminded Kennedy of his confirmation hearing commitments and that his actions since then had generated “deep concerns.” Kennedy said he wanted to rebuild faith in the CDC and restore transparency and scientific integrity, but critics called his tone condescending and hostile.
Trump supporters defended Kennedy on social media when the situation broke out. Vice President JD Vance called senators who questioned Kennedy hypocrites and “full of sh–.” Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana and Texas Governor Greg Abbott supported Vance’s message, while the official GOP account complimented it. Conservative journalists and media people portrayed Kennedy as a political target for defying norms.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended Kennedy, saying the outcry showed his reforms were working. The administration is addressing long-neglected health issues, boosting transparency, and supporting “gold-standard science,” she said, accusing Democrats of politicizing public health.
Public opinion was split. Some conservatives praised Kennedy’s robust defense of COVID programs’ politicization. Longtime political analysts said Kennedy was outmatched in the hearing due to his evasive and belligerent answers.
Dr. Monarez wrote in an opinion post that her expulsion threatened America’s public health system. Kennedy deliberately weakened vaccination protections by pushing her out for refusing to compromise on evidence-based decision-making, she claimed. Kennedy told the hearing that her narrative was false and that she had not resigned over scientific disputes.
The episode shows how the Trump administration is reshaping federal health agencies, causing health policy disputes. Kennedy’s tough posture and extensive CDC adjustments have sparked political conflicts in Washington and deepened societal divisions. MAGA allies defend him and detractors demand responsibility, but his leadership controversy continues.
Sources
Senate Finance Committee hearing coverage, Health and Human Services statements, White House press briefings, public commentary from political figures and analysts.
