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title: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Confirmed as Trump&#x27;s Health Secretary After a Close Senate Vote | TIME
description: The Senate on Thursday confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country.
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* Politics

# Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary After a Close Senate Vote

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## Video: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary After a Close Senate Vote

[Watch (HLS stream): Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary After a Close Senate Vote](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/3Y7Dh8xV.m3u8) (1:40)

![Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary After a Close Senate Vote](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/3Y7Dh8xV/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2025-02-13. The Senate on Thursday confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country._


---

Feb 13, 2025 7:20 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says Americans Should Not Take Medical Advice From Him](/video/hmZW8JyL/)

### Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says Americans Should Not Take Medical Advice From Him

[RFK Jr. is Sworn In as Trump's Health Secretary](/video/XHngTg5N/)

### RFK Jr. is Sworn In as Trump's Health Secretary

[Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Suspends Presidential Campaign](/video/SJeBMXDR/)

### Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Suspends Presidential Campaign

---


## Transcript

If confirmed, I fear greatly that Mr. Kennedy will take steps that severely undermine public health, weaken safety standards, and put the needs of not for, and put the needs of for profit corporations ahead of the needs of American families. And sooner or later, public backlash is going to build, and Republicans will have wished they hadn't signed their names for such a troubled nominee. So one final time, one final time, I implore my Republican colleagues to reject the nomination of Kennedy to be Secretary of HHS. A vote to confirm Mr. Kennedy is a vote. I truly believe many, many Republicans and most Americans will eventually very deeply regret.

I rise today in support of Robert F Kennedy Jr. S nomination to be Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of his confirmation. Contrary to the attacks that have constantly been made on him, he has made it very clear that he will support safe vaccinations and just wants to see that the research on them is done and done well. On this vote, the yeas are 52. The nays are 48. The confirmation is confirmed. Yes. Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered, made and laid upon the table, and the president will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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