Politics
NEW: Mark Halperin Reveals ‘Increasingly Likely’ Position For RFK Jr. In Trump Admin
Mark Halperin is raising the possibility that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. might be nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration. Halperin said on Wednesday that the move, while not certain, appears “increasingly likely.”
Kennedy’s nomination, according to Halperin, would face significant scrutiny but is by no means an impossible prospect. “First of all, it is increasingly likely, it’s not definite, that Bobby Kennedy will be nominated to head HHS. Many people in the Trump world want that to go to Ben Carson, but he could be nominated,” Halperin said.
“The only way, now that the rules have changed, to stop somebody from being confirmed is to keep them from getting a majority.” The confirmation process, Halperin explained, would require at least four Republican senators to break ranks alongside a united Democratic front.
“So right now, assuming everybody votes, and given that the vice president is a Republican, we’ll break the tie, you need to not get—you need to stop them from getting 50 votes, 53 Republicans. That means that every Democrat and four Republicans at least need to vote no,” the former political director noted.
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“So when you’re talking about will Pete Hegseth get confirmed for defense or will Matt Gaetz get confirmed for Attorney General, you can think about the Democrats and if any of the Democrats, some Democrats’ attitude will be the President’s entitled to his nominees. Now, the two most likely do that previously, Manchin and Sinema, are gone, but John Fetterman, just one name off the top of my head,” he added.
Halperin stressed that Trump’s insistence on loyalty might compel Republican senators to fall in line. “But it’s also possible that the White House will say: ‘The president wants everybody confirmed, and he’s taking names and watching.’ Everybody’s going to vote for his nominees because he’s entitled to his cabinet. So for those of you who say, Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Bobby Kennedy, he’s nominated for a confirmable position.”
As Kennedy’s potential nomination looms, the unfolding confirmation battle will likely offer a revealing glimpse into the dynamics of Trump’s new administration and the Senate’s willingness to follow his lead.
Kennedy Jr.’s potential nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in a Trump administration presents a fascinating collision of political ideologies and public health narratives. On one hand, Kennedy’s family name evokes a legacy of Democratic politics. It would also mark a rare bipartisan moment—or at least the appearance of one—by bringing a Kennedy into a Republican administration, albeit under highly polarizing circumstances.
Yet, the Senate confirmation process looms as a formidable barrier. The role of the Secretary of Health and Human Services is one of the most critical positions in the federal government, overseeing a vast department responsible for protecting the health and well-being of all Americans. The HHS Secretary leads initiatives ranging from public health policy and pandemic response to the administration of Medicare and Medicaid, programs that affect millions of Americans.
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