Supporters of President Donald Trump and those who consider themselves part of the MAGA movement melted down Thursday after watching Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. be forced to answer tough questions about his leadership of the department in the few short months he's run it.
Kennedy, who had promised never to deny vaccines to anyone who wants them, removed the HHS recommendations for vaccines, making it difficult for anyone under 65 to access the COVID-19 booster without their doctor's intervention. Republicans hammered him on that fact as well as dramatic cuts from rural health care passed in the "big, beautiful bill," deep cuts to Medicaid, and the firings of the top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the entire vaccine advisory board.
Among the most surprising to go after Kennedy were Republican lawmakers, two of whom are physicians, who caught Kennedy in some inconsistencies.
It prompted a meltdown of MAGA supporters and lawmakers who support Kennedy's agenda.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that Kennedy is right on "target" and that's why he "is taking flak." She claimed, "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."
As one medical doctor told MSNBC, Kennedy believes that vaccines essentially cause chronic illness.
"He believes that vaccination has simply substituted chronic diseases for infectious diseases. So, therefore, his war on vaccines, he believes, is a war against chronic diseases," said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Longtime Trump ally Steve Cortes responded to a video of Kennedy attacking the Academy of Pediatrics for taking donations from pharmaceutical companies. The implication is that anyone who takes money from someone is aligned with them.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics is a corrupt menace…and does untold damage to the health of America’s children. MAHA," claimed Cortes.
Kennedy's presidential campaign took donations from anti-vaccine groups and activists. His anti-vaccine advocacy group also paid him a six-figure salary, STAT News reported. As the Daily Beast reported in January, Kennedy made his fortune from it, and he stands to profit from lawsuits against vaccine companies, ABC News said.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) demanded, "Purge the CDC of the medical tyrants that are responsible for making America sick and Doctor Frankenstein 'science' that has killed people."
JD Vance complained 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 s--- and everyone knows it."
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) chimed in, "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 us are willing to fight for our kids, and I stand with RFK Jr against government mandated experimental COVID vaccines for babies. Good Lord, this shouldn’t even be a fight."
Scandal-plagued former Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) said, "Lots of Dems saying, 'RFK JR mUsT rEsIgN!!!' (sic) How about no. We voted to Make America Healthy Again!"
During the hearing, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a self-certifiedophthalmologist, told the press he thinks there's a lot of doubt around vaccines thanks to "the establishment."
"If the establishment keeps telling me things that are incorrect, that's where doubt comes from," he claimed.
Conservative anti-government podcaster Kevin Smith commented, "Bill 'Pfizer pays my bills' Cassidy really showing what he finds important here. Not that as a senator and a doctor we’ve never been more sick… but let’s go back to where his money gets made… COVID."