Robert u Kennedy, Jr. and Tulsi Gabard, have cleared a key obstacle on the way to Senate's confirmation of the Cabinet Roles, which US President Donald Trump has identified them to take over.
Kennedy was eavesdropped on the next US Health Secretary, while Gabard was elected to perform the functions of director of national intelligence. Both are considered contradictory elections and it was not certain that they would have enough support for full vote in the Senate.
But on Tuesday, Kennedy was approved by the Senate Financing Committee of 14-13 votes, which split by party lines. Only the Republicans voted in favor of him.
Meanwhile, Gabard was experiencing a narrow 9-8 votes in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee – which also split by party lines.
Both nominations will already vote in front of the full US senate, which Republicans control 53-47.
Kennedy's nomination progresses
During the confirmation process, Kennedy received some opposition to the legislators of both sides because of his skepticism to vaccines. Some have also questioned whether he is a health expert enough, including US Public Health and Health programs to take on the role.
However, he spent much of his hearing, insisting that he was not against vaccines – neither the conspiracy theoretical – but supported only more stringed safety tests.
However, senators often embarked on their past comments, including a podcast, where he said, “There is no vaccine that is safe and effective.”
Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent, who organizes and works with Democrats, praised Kennedy's slogan Make America Hergy Again. But later, the senator showed pictures of baby clothes printed with anti-vaccine messages sold by children's health protection, an organization that was nominated until recently.
Kennedy replied that he was no longer supervised by the group.
Although Kennedy's testimony did not win any democrats last week, he was able to win the decisive support of the Republican Senator of Louisiana Bill Cassidy.
Cassidy, a doctor, had expressed skepticism to Trump's nominees, but announced that he would support him after receiving “serious commitments” from Kennedy and the White House. This clears the way for a full vote in the Senate.
Kennedy is the son of Robert F Kennedy and President John F Kennedy's nephew. Initially, he sailed for the application for a democratic president in 2024, but later installed an independent offer before he dropped and supported Trump.
The US political scion initially made his name as an environmental lawyer before turning to criticism of healthcare in the United States – including food safety and intercession against vaccine in recent years.
As a health secretary, Kennedy will be responsible for huge agencies such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Health Institutes (NIH) and Medicare and Medicaid Services centers.
Kennedy suggested that he would fire many of the people who work for these federal agencies, and Trump said he would give his nominated extensive freedom to reform US food and healthcare systems.
Skeptic Republicans do not block gabard
Gabard also encountered opposition to some past controversial positions, including his decision to meet and defend former Syrian President Bashar-Al-Assad in 2017, as well as a previous impetus to obtain a pardon for the whistle of national security Edward Snowden.
At one point, Gabard was squeezed by both Republican and democratic senators about whether it classified Snowden – who moved to Russia to avoid US law enforcement – as a “traitor”. She refused to respond directly, saying only that he “had broken the law.”
She added that he has exposed “outrageous illegal and non -constitutional programs” that lead to reforms, but it maintains that it will work to block future illegal leaks and disclosures.
Several senators also noted that Gabard had defended Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of the war. Democratic Senator Michael Bennett accused Gabard of agreeing that “totalitarian state” was “justified by turning the peace border of Ukraine”.
However, Republican senators, who were initially skeptical of Gabard, eventually gathered behind her.
On Monday, Senator Susan Collins of Maine said Gabard had dealt with her concerns. Senator Todd Young, of Indiana, has announced a day later that he will also support Gabard after he has committed himself to “progressing our national security.”
Gabard is a former Hawaii Congressman and a military veteran who serves a medical ward in Iraq.
Previously, she was a member of the Democratic Party and supported liberal causes such as state healthcare while serving in the congress. In 2020, she was running for the democratic presidential nomination, and later dropped and approved Joe Biden.
Gabard left the Democratic Party in 2022, criticizing them for being “warmed up” by “cowardly Wakis”. She became independent before becoming a Republican in 2024 and supported Trump's presidential application.
If confirmed by the full senate, it will run a budget of over $ 70 billion ($ 55 billion) and will monitor 18 intelligence agencies.