Robert F. Kennedy Jr soothes GOP angst on abortion as other Trump picks face scrutiny

Health and Human Services Secretary designee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be calming GOP nerves over his staunch pro-choice views, assuring Republican senators that he won’t be an impediment to key priorities on abortion.

During his slew of meetings with senators this week, Kennedy, 70, committed to carrying out conservative goals of reversing Biden administration-era policies on abortion. Meanwhile, other key picks by President-elect Donald Trump are working to shore up support with Republicans.

“We also had a good discussion, at length, about pro-life policies at HHS,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) revealed on X of his meeting with Kennedy. “He committed to me to reinstate President Trump’s pro-life policies at HHS.”

“He told me he believes there are far too many abortions in the US and that we cannot be the moral leader of the free world with abortion rates so high.”

Kennedy affirmed that he would reinstate the Mexico City policy, which prevents the federal government from funding groups that finance abortion procedures in foreign countries.

The policy has been subject to something of a tug-of-war since its inception in the mid-1980s. Since then, Democratic administrations have scrapped it, while Republican ones have reimposed it.

Kennedy also affirmed that he would support a ban on the use of funds from Title X, a grant program used for family planning, toward organizations that push abortion, according to Hawley.

Additionally, Kennedy vowed to scrap the Biden administration’s Section 1557 rule, which restricts health care discrimination based on one’s sex, sexual orientation, race and more if they receive federal funds.

The scion further pledged that all of his deputies at HHS would be pro-life and that he would reimpose conscience protections for providers of healthcare, per Hawley.

During his 2024 presidential bid, Kennedy had espoused mixed views on abortion.

“I believe we should leave it to the woman, we shouldn’t have the government involved,” he said on the “Sage Steele Show,” later clarifying “even if it’s full term.”

Later, Kennedy explained that he believed “abortion should be unrestricted up until a certain point” and expressed a desire for policies to “reduce more abortions in America by choice than by force.”

Shortly after President-elect Donald Trump announced Kennedy as his HHS pick, pro-life groups erupted in dismay.

Former Vice President Mike Pence blasted his selection as an “abrupt departure from the pro-life record of our administration and should be deeply concerning to millions of Pro-Life Americans who have supported the Republican Party and our nominees for decades.”

“The pro-life movement has always looked to the Republican party to stand for life, to affirm an unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed.”

However, other senators have similarly indicated that they’re growing less concerned about Kennedy’s views on abortion.

“We talked about abortion. And the big thing about abortion is, he’s telling everybody, he said listen, whatever President Trump [is], I’m going to back him 100%,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) told reporters Tuesday.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) gave a similar recap of his meeting with Kennedy.

“He goes: ‘I’m serving at the will of the President of the United States, and it’s his policies that I will put forth,’” Mullin recounted to the DailyWire.

“‘And so we may not agree on every single issue, but we agree 100%, we shouldn’t even be having abortions in this world anyways,’” he added. “I’m good with that.”

Kennedy had plans to meet with about two dozen senators this week before the upper chamber breaks for recess.

The Kennedy scion had also been under fire for his skeptical views on vaccination, in which he’s called for more scrutiny of safety standards and more transparency. But many GOP senators who met with him indicated he has been assuaging their concerns on vaccines.

On Monday, the Health and Human Services Secretary designee confirmed to reporters that he supports the polio vaccine, despite revelations that an attorney who worked for his campaign, previously attempted to scrap Food and Drug Administration approval of it.

Other Trump picks also made the rounds with GOP senators on Tuesday, including Pentagon chief designee Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence designee Tulsi Gabbard.

Hegseth had been under fire and for a period of time, his forthcoming nomination appeared to be on life support. Trump’s allies mounted a pressure campaign against Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who had reservations about him, and she later softened her stance.

Sen.-elect John Curtis (R-Utah), who is believed to have been uneasy about Trump’s initial pick of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), hinted that he plans to do more homework on Hegseth.

“I asked him for his references, and I’m actually going to call them, I’m going to read his book, and going to watch the hearings,” Curtis told CNN.

Gabbard garnered some praise from Republicans like Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

However, Trump world believes that at least eight Republican senators are not sure whether they will back her bid, a transition source told Reuters.

Given the incoming 53-47 split in the Senate, Gabbard can only afford to lose four votes at most due to the Vice President-elect JD Vance’s ability to break a tie.

Key potential swing votes such as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) are largely keeping their cards close to the vest for now.

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