Vice President JD Vance harshly criticized senators who challenged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a tense Senate Finance Committee hearing. The confrontation was sparked by Sen. Ron Wyden’s accusations that Kennedy promoted conspiracy-laden and harmful health policies, especially concerning children. Kennedy countered by pointing to rising chronic disease rates under the senator’s long tenure in office.
Vance took to social media platform X to defend Kennedy in blunt, profane terms. He accused senators of hypocrisy for supporting gender-affirming treatments for minors, calling them “full of s—.” His post drew attention for its aggressive tone and signaled the deepening rift over healthcare, chronic illness, and gender-related policies.
Kennedy expressed gratitude for Vance’s support, calling out what he sees as systemic problems in American healthcare. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the sentiment, claiming Kennedy was being attacked for targeting the root causes of chronic disease and rejecting failed government science. She framed the criticism as political rather than substantive.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich also defended Kennedy, saying Democratic senators failed to focus on real health policy issues. He praised Kennedy’s preparedness and accused critics of clinging to outdated medical frameworks that have failed the American people.
The hearing came just one day after over 1,000 current and former HHS employees publicly demanded Kennedy’s resignation. Amid internal turmoil, RFK Jr. also faced a minor incident involving a recently fired aide, Hannah Anderson, who accidentally backed into his car after her dismissal. Her firing was part of a broader HHS shake-up aligning the agency with Trump’s vision.
The leadership turbulence also included the controversial ouster and eventual reinstatement of Dr. Vinay Prasad, a top vaccine official. His departure followed external pressure and internal disputes but was reversed after high-level intervention from Kennedy and other senior officials.
