JD Vance rushed to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s corner after the health secretary took a beating from senators in a fiery hearing over vaccine policies.
The vice president took aim at senators for grilling Kennedy in a finance committee hearing on Thursday following an exodus at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to limit the use of new COVID-19 vaccines.
“When I see all these senators trying to lecture and ‘gotcha’ Bobby Kennedy today all I can think is: You all support off-label, untested, and irreversible hormonal ‘therapies’ for children, mutilating our kids and enriching big pharma. You’re full of s–t and everyone knows it,” Vance said in a post on X.
When I see all these senators trying to lecture and “gotcha” Bobby Kennedy today all I can think is:You all support off-label, untested, and irreversible hormonal “therapies” for children, mutilating our kids and enriching big pharma. You’re full of shit and everyone knows it.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 4, 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joined a growing chorus of conservatives defending Kennedy from criticism.
“Secretary Kennedy is taking flak because he’s over the target,” she said on X. “The Trump administration is addressing root causes of chronic disease, embracing transparency in government, and championing gold-standard science. Only the Democrats could attack that commonsense effort.”
Utah Sen. Mike Lee wrote: “I support RFK, Jr. Who’s with me?”
Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins also flamed senators for their “appalling” treatment of Kennedy.
“The ivory tower career politicians are out of touch with America and their arrogance is disgusting,” he said. “I stand with RFK Jr against government-mandated experimental COVID vaccines for babies. Good Lord, this shouldn’t even be a fight.”
I find it appalling, the way RFK Jr has been treated by our Senators. The ivory tower career politicians are out of touch with America and their arrogance is disgusting. Bottom line is that they’re shilling for big pharma and our children are being generationally injured. Some of… pic.twitter.com/sI25uKFlTl
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) September 4, 2025
Senators on both sides of the aisle drilled into Kennedy’s long history of vaccine skepticism and demanded explanations on controversial vaccine policies in a tense three-hour-long hearing.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician whose vote was crucial to Kennedy’s confirmation as health secretary, got Kennedy to agree that President Donald Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed, a 2020 initiative to fast-track the development of COVID vaccines.
“It surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed when, as an attorney, you attempted to restrict access [to COVID vaccines],” Cassidy said, referring to lawsuits Kennedy filed on behalf of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense. “This just seems inconsistent that you would agree with me the president deserves tremendous amount of credit for this.”
“Is this a question, Senator Cassidy, or is this a speech that you don’t want me to answer?” Kennedy shot back.
Republican Sen. John Barrasso, also a physician, cited the measles outbreak in Texas, the defunding of mRNA vaccine research, and the firing of CDC chief Susan Monarez as concerning developments since Kennedy became health secretary.
“Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines,” he said. “Since then, I’ve grown deeply concerned.”
Kennedy also sparred with Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan over the FDA’s new restrictions on who can get the updated COVID shots.
“If you agree with President Trump that the vaccine saved millions of lives, why have you acted behind closed doors to overrule scientists and limit the freedom of parents to choose the COVID vaccine for their children? Why have you done that?” Hassan asked.
Kennedy said it was the FDA that moved to narrow the use of COVID vaccines, accusing Hassan of “crazy talk” and “making stuff up.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Health Department for comment on fresh calls for Kennedy’s resignation and messages of support from his allies.
On Monday, Trump’s belief in COVID vaccines showed signs of faltering as well.
“It is very important that the Drug Companies justify the success of their various COVID Drugs. Many people think they are a miracle that saved Millions of lives. Others disagree! With CDC being ripped apart over this question, I want the answer, and I want it NOW,” he said on Truth Social.
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