RFK Jr.'s 'status' with Trump to be scrutinized after 'absurd performance': MSNBC analyst

According to MSNBC host Jonathan Lemire, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did himself no favors on Wednesday when he was grilled by members of Congress in televised hearings on his department's budget.

At the conclusion of a segment MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that began with co-host Mike Brzezinski laughing until she cried at Kennedy's decision to take a dip in polluted waters, Joe Scarborough showed clips of Kennedy refusing to offer an opinion about vaccines, saying American's shouldn't consider his opinions on the matter, which has stunned onlookers.

That led the MSNBC host to ask Lemire, "What's his standing in the administration because it is interesting, the MAGA base at times in the past has been skeptical of him because he is left-wing on a lot of issues? What is his standing in the administration? What is his standing with President Trump?"

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"We're about to find out, because this is sort of this first moment in the spotlight; the measles outbreak and now these hearings," Lemire replied. "He was, President Trump, deeply pleased with Kennedy, with the endorsement and the support down the stretch of the campaign, that he'd tell people that he had a Kennedy with him."

"That was something that really meant a lot to him in his campaign and he loves the idea of having a Kennedy work for him as part of the cabinet," he added before noting, "You know, to this point, Kennedy has been largely relatively low-profile in the first couple of months –– that's now changing, we're going to have to see how this goes."

Regarding Kennedy's appearance before lawmakers, he continued. "I mean, this obviously was an absurd performance yesterday, as those as congressmen pointed out, as Kennedy said, 'Well, I don't want to give advice.' That's exactly your job! You are the Health and Human Services secretary, the CDC. You give advice, you give health recommendations. Kennedy trying to walk a fine line. We will see how that plays with the administration in the months ahead."

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