Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 29, 2025 (Getty Images)
"The room ERUPTED in applause IMMEDIATELY after RFK Jr’s confirmation hearing concluded," conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X. "Confirm him."
Former NCAA swimmer and conservative commentator Riley Gaines posted on X that "the Dems embarrassed themselves today."
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Verbal fireworks exploded minutes into the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, the first of two straight days of congressional confirmation hearings for the controversial vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump.
Kennedy repeatedly insisted that he was not "anti-vaccine" and slammed multiple Democrat senators for pushing a "dishonest" narrative against him that he has "corrected" on national television many times. Democrats on the committee pointed to a slew of past comments from the nominee in which he questioned or disparaged COVID shots and other vaccines.
He returns to Capitol Hill on Thursday for a hearing in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. It's considered a courtesy hearing as only the Senate Finance Committee will vote on Kennedy's confirmation.
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.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dems-look-unhinged-conservatives-rally-around-rfk-jrs-masterclass-hearing-performance