Could Abortion Doom Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS Appointment?

Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of health and human services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is drawing opposition from former Vice President Mike Pence over Kennedy’s remarks on abortion. 

In a statement, Pence said Kennedy “would be the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history.” 

“On behalf of tens of millions of pro-life Americans, I respectfully urge Senate Republicans to reject this nomination and give the American people a leader who will respect the sanctity of life as secretary of Health and Human Services,” Pence’s statement said. 

Trump’s choice of Kennedy has drawn alarm from health care professionals, who see his history of opposing vaccination as a threat to public health. Kennedy has also pledged to root out “corruption” in U.S. health agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, and has floated the idea of removing fluoride from the nation’s public water supply. 

Kennedy’s views on abortion, though, have drawn criticism not only from anti-abortion stalwarts like Pence but also from abortion rights supporters, who point to Kennedy’s comments earlier this year vaguely supporting limits on abortion “after a certain point.” Pence’s comments suggest there could be opposition to Kennedy from the former vice president’s fellow Christian conservatives in Congress. 

Pence, who served in the House from 2001 to 2013, had a falling out with Trump in 2021 after certifying the 2020 presidential election results despite Trump’s supporters attempting to violently storm the Capitol. The rioters at the time even set up a noose and gallows outside the building while chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” with Trump at the time reportedly thinking that Pence deserved the chants.  

With Trump thinking so little of Pence, it remains to be seen whether the former vice president’s views on Kennedy will carry any weight on Capitol Hill. In the Senate, however, Republicans may see abortion as a more important issue than Trump’s opinion, which might doom Kennedy’s nomination. Kennedy also has other skeletons that could prevent his nomination to a Cabinet position: animal skeletons.