Two of President Donald Trump’s most vulnerable administration picks, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, will have back-to-back confirmation hearings in the Senate this week. Kennedy, a former Democratic presidential candidate, has been nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, while Gabbard, a former Democratic Representative, has been chosen to be Director of National Intelligence.
Kennedy’s hearing with the Senate Finance Committee is set for Wednesday, followed by a second hearing with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) on Thursday. Gabbard’s hearing with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is scheduled for Thursday.
Both Kennedy and Gabbard have been criticized for their past policy positions, which have not aligned with those of many Republican senators. Kennedy has been a vocal critic of vaccines, citing concerns over safety and effectiveness, while Gabbard’s past stances on national security have raised concerns about her qualifications for the DNI role.
However, both nominees have taken steps to moderate their positions, with Kennedy pushing back on suggestions that he is “anti-vaccine” and Gabbard recently making a reversal on a controversial intelligence tool used by the government, winning the backing of a Republican senator on the intel committee.
The outcome of the hearings will determine whether the nominees will be voted out of their respective committees and, ultimately, the full Senate. Despite initial backing from some Republican senators, the path to confirmation remains uncertain for both Kennedy and Gabbard.