With less than two weeks until President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., among his top Cabinet picks, could soon lead the federal government's health department.
Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, was announced as Trump's choice for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary in November 2024.
His stance on vaccinations, particularly on polio vaccines and the false claim that vaccines cause autism, has led to speculation that Kennedy will struggle to achieve Senate confirmation. However, a social media post elevated by South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace claimed that the former Democrat had already earned the necessary support.
The Claim
A post on X, formerly Twitter, by the account "Leading Report," posted on January 5, 2024, viewed four million times, said: "BREAKING: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reportedly secured the votes needed to be confirmed as HHS Secretary."
Another post on January 7, 2024, by Representative Nancy Mace, responded to the post "MAHA," an abbreviation used by Republicans, based on "MAGA," meaning "Make America Healthy Again."
The Facts
While there are rumors that even some Democratic senators could be ready to support Kennedy, the claim that he has reportedly secured support for confirmation is not based on any verifiable or substantive source.
A report in The Hill this week, based on unnamed sources, said that independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman were "at least considering voting for Kennedy."
Without Democratic support, Kennedy will need all but three Republican senators to confirm him, an assurance some reports hint he may struggle to achieve.
On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader and South Dakota Republican John Thune wouldn't confirm he was a "yes" on all Trump Cabinet picks. Elsewhere, Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy told Fox News Sunday that Kennedy was "wrong" about vaccinations.
"I agree with him on some things and disagree on others," he said.
"The food safety, I think the ultra-processed food is a problem.
"Vaccinations, he's wrong on, and so I just look forward to having a good dialogue with him on that."
It's not just whether Kennedy will be confirmed; the date for his Senate confirmation hearing has not even been set. Beyond that, there are no substantive or credible claims that Kennedy has the security of Senate support.
The social media post from Leading Report that Mace shared did not provide any sources or reporting to support its claim.
Leading Report has a history of sharing unsubstantiated and misleading claims, which have been investigated and debunked by multiple media outlets.
While the source includes no evidence to support its claim, we cannot confirm whether Kennedy has majority support either, with many Senators tight-lipped.
The Ruling
Unverified.
This is based on an unverified, unsubstantiated claim sent from a social media account with a record of making unsubstantiated claims. While there is no publicly available evidence contrary to the claim, no substantive reports or data support it either.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team
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About the writer
Tom Norton is Newsweek's Fact Check reporter, based in London. His focus is reporting on misinformation and misleading information in ... Read more