Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination to be Health and Human Services Secretary, on Capitol Hill, on Jan. 29, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
Moments later, as Kennedy delivered his own opening comments and said, "News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety," a protester shouted out, "You lie."
The heckler was led out of the hearing room by Capitol Police, as was a second protester minutes later.
WATCH: RFK JR. WARNS THAT AMERICA'S HEALTH IS IN ‘GRIEVIOUS CONDITION’
And another protester was spotted in the audience holding a sign reading, "Vaccines Save Lives, No RFK JR."
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The 71-year-old Kennedy launched a long-shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House.
Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.
Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS.
In the two months since Trump's announcement, it's not just Democrats who've raised questions about Kennedy's confirmation. Social conservative Republicans took issue with his past comments in support of abortion rights.
"My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn't have the government involved, even if it's full term," Kennedy said as he ran for president.
But since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has walked back his stance on abortion. And in an exchange Wednesday with Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy declared, "I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy."
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former two-time Democratic presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a "major U-turn" on abortion.
Kennedy was also questioned about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government healthcare programs used by millions of older, disabled and low-income Americans.
"I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program," Kennedy said of Medicaid.
And he said President Trump hadn't asked him to cut the program but rather "asked me to make it better."
Kennedy, whose outspoken views on big pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, vowed that "if confirmed, I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track."
While Democrats may find common ground with Kennedy's aim to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle – including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases – Kennedy lamented that they oppose him because he's Trump's nominee.
"Now they’re against me because anything that President Trump does, any decision he makes, has to be lampooned, derided, discredited, marginalized, vilified," Kennedy argued.
RFK JR. LIKELY TO BE CONFIRMED AS HEALTH SECRETARY, FOX NEWS MEDICAL ANALYST PREDICTS
With Republicans controlling the Senate by a 53-47 majority, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation. During Wednesday's hearing, no Republicans appeared to oppose the nomination.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina appeared to lean into the Democrats' attacks on Kennedy, asking, "I got a real quick question for you: Are you a conspiracy theorist?"
Kennedy answered that it "is a pejorative that's applied to me mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions of powerful interests."
GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, a chemical engineer, spotlighted that there are several Republican doctors on the committee.
"We believe in science. I’m thankful that you do, too," Daines said.
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Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who said he had a "frank conversation" with Kennedy about immunizations when they met earlier this month, didn't ask about vaccines during the committee hearing. Instead, he kept his questions to federal healthcare programs, including Medicare.
Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin took aim at Democrats on the committee for what he claimed was "hostility on the other side… I'm disappointed with it."
The hearing ended three and a half hours after it began, with Kennedy departing the committee room to cheers from supporters.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rfk-jrs-confirmation-hearing-goes-off-rails-amid-multiple-clashes-dem-senators