Lawmakers grill RFK Jr. on vaccinations, Covid and CDC turmoil during Senate hearing
This version of Rcrd87600 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
The health secretary faced pointed questions from Democrats and some Republicans over his handling of vaccines and his decision to fire the CDC director.
What to know today
- RFK JR. TESTIMONY: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified at a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where he had several tense exchanges and shouting matches with Democratic senators about his vaccine policies and turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- GOP PUSHBACK: Several Republicans, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — a physician and a key vote to confirm Kennedy — also expressed concern about the Department of Health and Human Services’ handling of vaccines. Kennedy repeatedly insisted he was not anti-vaccine, though he has appointed several vaccine skeptics to a key advisory committee and walked back the agency’s Covid vaccine recommendations.
- EX-CDC DIRECTOR SPEAKS OUT: Former CDC Director Susan Monarez said in an op-ed published shortly before Kennedy’s testimony that she was fired after she was told to preapprove recommendations made by a panel whose members have questioned vaccines. Kennedy told the committee that Monarez is lying.
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Watchdog reveals new misconduct by jailed former FBI official and Chinese firm
A watchdog report released today revealed that a jailed former FBI counterintelligence official tipped off a Chinese firm with business ties to James and Hunter Biden that it was under investigation.
The 23-page inspector general’s report says Charles McGonigal, the former special agent in charge of counterintelligence for the FBI in New York, told an associate of the China Energy Fund Committee that the company was under FBI investigation.
McGonigal engaged in “disgraceful conduct” and “intentionally damaged an important criminal case, violated the public trust, and compromised the integrity of the FBI,” the report found. “The betrayal infects the morale of those who serve the FBI with honor and integrity and undermines the public’s confidence in the FBI.”
California providing 'protective services' for Kamala Harris after Trump revoked her Secret Service detail
The Los Angeles Police Department will assist the California Highway Patrol in providing protective services to former Vice President Kamala Harris "until an alternate plan is established," a spokesperson for the department said.
"This temporary coordinated effort is in place to ensure that there is no lapse in security," spokeswoman Jennifer Forkish said.
The new operation in California emerged days after Trump revoked Harris' Secret Service protection. A senior White House official noted at the time that vice presidents are required by law to get only up to six months of protection when they leave office.
However, before he left office, former President Joe Biden signed an executive memorandum in January extending Harris' protection to 18 months, a move a senior administration official told NBC News was "not typical."
PBS says it has cut about 100 positions because of loss of federal funding
PBS has eliminated almost 100 staff positions over the last several months because of a loss of federal funding, it said today.
The job cuts include 34 staff members who were notified today that they were losing their jobs, a spokesperson for PBS said.
The Republican-controlled Congress cut $1.1 billion in federal funding for PBS and NPR in July.
“In this unprecedented moment we remain focused on what matters most: ensuring our member stations can deliver quality content and services to communities across America,” the spokesperson said.
Ahead of Kennedy hearing, GOP saw poll showing Trump voters support vaccines
Polling showing that a majority of Trump’s voters support vaccines was shared with several Republicans lawmakers’ staffers in a closed-door meeting yesterday, according to two people familiar with the meeting.
NBC News obtained a copy of a memo, dated Aug. 26, summarizing the poll results. It was conducted by veteran Republican pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Bob Ward and concluded “that there is broad unity across party lines supporting vaccines such as measles (MMR), shingles, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (TDAP), and Hepatitis B.” Fabrizio and Ward presented the findings during the meeting, the sources said.
In an email to NBC News, Ward confirmed the memo was authentic but declined to comment about the meeting. It’s unclear who commissioned the poll or arranged the meeting. A source close to the White House denied that the administration requested the poll.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett says country isn’t in a ‘constitutional crisis’
Conservative Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett tonight said that she does not believe the United States is in a constitutional crisis as Trump seeks to unilaterally reshape the government and his administration frequently feuds with judges.
Barrett, a Trump appointee who is part of the Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority, defended the court as an institution and said Americans should have faith in its ability to address probing problems with integrity.
“I think the Constitution is alive and well,” Barrett said in an interview with Bari Weiss, hosted by the Free Press in New York, to promote her new book.
“I don’t know what a constitutional crisis would look like. I don’t think that we are currently in a constitutional crisis, however,” she added. “I think our country remains committed to the rule of law. I think we have functioning courts.”
Trump sidesteps when asked if he has 'full confidence' in RFK Jr. but praises hearing performance
Trump deflected when reporters at the White House asked him this evening whether he still has "full confidence" in Kennedy.
Kennedy has been embroiled in controversy over his firing of recently confirmed CDC Director Susan Monarez, an exodus of senior officials from the health agency and his sustained skepticism of vaccines. Members of the Senate Finance Committee grilled Kennedy about the concurrent developments at an unusually contentious hearing today.
Hours after the fiery hearing, Trump was asked directly if he has "full confidence in what RFK Jr. is doing" at the agency. Trump didn't answer directly but said, "I like the fact that he's different."
“I didn’t get to watch the hearings today, but he’s a very good person. He means very well, and he’s got some little different ideas," Trump said. "I heard he did very well today."
Trump comments, and lack thereof, came hours after a White House official and a senior administration official told NBC News that Trump continues to have confidence in Kennedy and his leadership.
Trump says he'd like to see two candidates drop out of the crowded New York mayoral race
Trump suggested tonight that Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani could win the New York City mayor's race if the field of candidates isn't narrowed.
"I don’t think you can win unless you have one on one, because somehow he’s gotten a little bit of a lead," Trump told reporters before a White House dinner with top tech executives.
"I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one on one," Trump added. "I think that’s a race that could be won."
He did not specify which candidates he would like to see exit the race. Mamdani is competing against Mayor Eric Adams, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Asked tonight if he'd encouraged any of the candidates to drop out, Trump said, "No," before adding, "I don’t like to see a communist become mayor, I will tell you that."
Trump has derided Mamdani as a communist, arguing the 33-year-old candidate is not fit to lead the country's largest city.
'Inexcusable': Federal magistrate judge demands answers after feds bump another case down
A federal magistrate judge today chastised prosecutors seeking to dismiss a case after a grand jury declined to indict a man charged with threatening to kill Trump, citing a string of other cases they’ve brought recently that failed to return indictments.
Judge Zia Faruqui said in an order that prosecutors had made the “inexcusable” attempt to cancel the preliminary hearing for Edward Dana minutes before it was scheduled because they had filed lesser charges in a lower court.
Trump hosted a White House dinner for top tech CEOs this evening. Invitees included Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman. Tesla CEO and former special government employee Elon Musk was not in attendance.
Attorneys for ousted CDC chief call Kennedy's claims at hearing 'patently ridiculous'
Attorneys for Monarez criticized Kennedy's testimony.
“Secretary Kennedy’s claims are false, and at times, patently ridiculous,” attorneys Mark S. Zaid and Abbe Lowell said in a statement on X today.
“Dr. Monarez stands by what she said in her op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, would repeat it all under oath and continues to support the vision she outlined at her confirmation hearing that science will control her decisions,” they added.
Kennedy said at today's hearing that Monarez lied in an op-ed published in the Journal earlier today that detailed an Aug. 25 meeting in which Kennedy directed her to preapprove recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel that is scheduled to meet this month.
Melania Trump urges ‘watchful guidance’ of AI in meeting with tech CEOs and Cabinet members
Announcing “the robots are here [and] our future is no longer science fiction,” first lady Melania Trump appeared alongside senior Trump administration officials and tech CEOs today in the second meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education.
Trump highlighted the importance of AI in education but hinted at the tension between larger societal and cultural concerns about AI’s negative effects and the administration’s prioritization of AI innovation.
“I predict AI will present the single largest growth category in our nation during this administration,” Trump said, “and I won’t be surprised if AI becomes known as the greatest engine of progress in the history of the United States.”
She added, however, that “we must manage AI’s growth responsibly” and that “during this primitive stage” it should be subject to “watchful guidance.”
Biden undergoes skin cancer surgery, months after prostate cancer diagnosis
Former President Joe Biden recently underwent surgery to remove cancerous cells from his skin, his spokesperson confirmed to NBC News today.
Biden’s personal office said he is recovering well from the procedure known as Mohs surgery, which is often used to treat the most common forms of skin cancer. The procedure removes layers of cancerous skin tissue until no more cancerous cells remain.
It’s unclear exactly when Biden underwent the surgery. He was pictured leaving a church in Greenville, Delaware, late last month with a large, visible incision in his head.
Biden, 82, underwent surgery to remove cancerous skin cells during his term as president. In 2023, a cancerous skin lesion was removed from his chest during a routine physical exam, Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo at the time.
How Florida’s vaccine mandate ban could be dangerous, even for partially vaccinated children
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said the state will work to eliminate all vaccination mandates, a move that drew condemnation from public health experts. NBC News' medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta breaks down the potential dangers that could come from this decision, including how even partially vaccinated kids could be affected.
Trump to sign executive order making the Department of Defense's secondary name the 'Department of War'
Two White House officials told NBC News that Trump will sign an executive order tomorrow restoring the use of "Department of War" as a secondary title for the Department of Defense. The signing event will happen in the Oval Office.
According to a White House fact sheet, the order also authorizes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use secondary titles like "secretary of war."
Finally, the order instructs Hegseth “to recommend actions, to include legislative and executive actions, required to permanently rename the U.S. Department of Defense to the U.S. Department of War.”
Hegseth posted a message on X in all caps this evening: "DEPARTMENT OF WAR."
Trump continues to have confidence in RFK Jr. after Senate hearing, sources tell NBC News
After senators from both sides of the aisle grilled Kennedy today, a White House official and a senior administration official told NBC News that Trump continues to have confidence in Kennedy and his leadership of the Health and Human Services Department.
Asked whether Trump was surprised by the hearing and the fact that some Republicans were sharply critical in their comments, the senior administration official said, “The hearing is what we expected in terms of how animated it was, and we were planning on it.”
The person said Kennedy would keep his job after the hearing, saying, “100%. This does not change anything.”
Trump has yet to publicly speak about the hearing. However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Vice President JD Vance and deputy White House chief of staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich have all released statements supporting Kennedy.
Trump nominee plans to keep White House job if he’s confirmed for Fed post
Trump’s nominee to fill a vacancy on the Federal Reserve board said at his confirmation hearing that he does not plan to leave his position as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers if he is confirmed.
Trump nominated Stephen Miran last month to finish out former Federal Reserve governor Adriana Kugler’s 14-year term, which ends in January. Kugler resigned early and will return to Georgetown University’s faculty this fall.
At the Senate Banking Committee hearing, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., asked Miran whether he would resign from the White House if he were confirmed to the position with the independent Federal Reserve.
“I have received advice from counsel that what is required is an unpaid leave of absence from the Council of Economic Advisers,” Miran answered. “And so, considering the term for which I’m being nominated is a little bit more four months, that is what I will be taking.”
Trump formalizes Japan trade deal with lower tariffs for autos, some pharmaceuticals
Trump signed an executive order formally implementing the trade deal the United States reached with Japan in July.
The order lowers automobile tariffs to 15% and includes tariff exceptions for aircrafts, plane parts, some natural resources, generic pharmaceuticals and materials used to make some pharma products.
The newly signed agreement locks in Japan’s tariff rate for other products at 15%, as previously announced by the White House. That rate is retroactive to Aug. 7.
White House defends Kennedy after hearing
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Kennedy after today's Senate hearing, saying he "is taking flak because he’s over the target."
"The Trump Administration is addressing root causes of chronic disease, embracing transparency in government, and championing gold-standard science," Leavitt wrote on X. "Only the Democrats could attack that commonsense effort."
Vice President JD Vance also backed Kennedy and criticized lawmakers for "trying to lecture and 'gotcha'" the Health and Human Service Secretary, writing on X, "you're full of s--t and everyone knows it."
Democratic lawmakers had repeatedly pressed Kennedy about his handling of the CDC and his stance on vaccines during today's hearing.
Justice Department asks Supreme Court to allow Trump to fire FTC commissioner
The Justice Department today asked the Supreme Court to allow Trump to fire a Federal Trade Commissioner without cause in another full-frontal attack on the concept of independent federal agencies.
The request is a direct challenge to a 1935 Supreme Court precedent that upheld limits on the president’s ability to fire FTC commissioners without cause, a restriction Congress imposed to protect the agency from political pressure.
In March, Trump sought to fire two Democratic commissioners, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya. Both challenged the move, although Bedoya later dropped out of the case.
Mehmet Oz says government will pay for Covid shots for Medicare and Medicaid recipients over 65
Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said this afternoon that his agency will pay for the Covid vaccines for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries over age 65.
"We will pay for Covid vaccines for Medicare beneficiaries. For folks over 65, if you’re on Medicaid, your doctor wants to give you a vaccine, we will pay for them," Oz said on Fox News.
"Obviously, there’s commercial insurance companies, but they usually follow us, so this is a manufactured crisis that scares Americans who are already caught up in the throes of a crisis in chronic illness,” he added.
Kennedy said at his hearing today that anyone in the United States who wants the Covid vaccine will be able to get the booster.
While the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the shots, they come with new restrictions. That has caused CVS, for example, to say it won't offer the shots until the CDC's independent vaccine advisory panel acts. The panel is scheduled to meet this month.
N.Y. attorney general files notice of appeal on $500M Trump judgment
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a notice of appeal today to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, after a lower court threw out a more than $500 million penalty against Trump and his two eldest sons.
In the ruling last month, the Supreme Court Appellate Division said that while Trump was liable for fraud, the fine was excessive and probably violated constitutional protections against severe punishment.
Tillis says he's worried RFK is 'diminishing the credibility of the CDC'
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he’s “concerned” with some of Kennedy's actions in recent weeks and “that we’re diminishing the credibility of the CDC.”
“I want to know if it’s being managed properly. Are we really relying on science?” he asked.
He also expressed concern that actions like Florida's recent move to end vaccination mandates in schools will "send a shock wave through communities that simply don’t have the resources to do anything more."
He added, "Those folks are going to see this thing and say: 'Vaccines are bad. I’m not going to vaccinate my kids.' They’re not going to go to their doctor, because many of them don’t have access to it. They may not even go on the web. I don’t even know if they have access, they’re not going to do the research. So these kids get harmed by this."
Chicago suburb warned of lengthy, 'large-scale' ICE campaign
Residents in Broadview, a village west of Chicago where an ICE processing facility is located, were told to brace themselves for a “large-scale enforcement campaign” that was scheduled to go on for a month and a half.
Mayor Katrina Thompson warned residents in a letter this week of disruptions and protests in the area.
“Federal officials have informed us that a large-scale enforcement campaign will soon be underway. The Immigration facility located on Beach Street will serve as the primary processing location for this operation, which is scheduled to operate seven days a week for approximately 45 continuous days," she wrote.
Thompson also warned the situation could “draw protests and demonstrations, like those seen earlier this year in Los Angeles, where property damage and assaults against law enforcement were reported."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said immigration officials are expected to descend on the city in the upcoming days. He has charged that the administration is attempting to use aggressive arrests — and the clashes that result — as a pretext to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.
City and state officials told NBC News they are still operating on that belief, despite a court ruling that similar action in California was unlawful and despite Trump’s having floated sending the guard to New Orleans.
FBI was looking for classified information in John Bolton search
The FBI was on the hunt for classified records and documents when it searched former Trump national security adviser John Bolton's home last month, and agents seized a number of computers and physical files, newly unsealed court documents confirm.
The now-unsealed search warrant allowed agents to seize "documents and records with or without classification marking that appear to be classified," as well as "any containers or boxes (including any other contents) in which such documents are located."
The court filings, which were put on the public docket after NBC News and a consortium of media organizations moved to have them unsealed, show agents seized a phone with several camera lenses, USB drives, computers and a white binder labeled “statements and reflections to Allied Strikes” and typed documents in folders labeled “Trump I-IV.”
The search warrant affidavit, which describes to the magistrate judge what probable cause the FBI developed to search Bolton’s home and office, remains under seal.
Bolton had become a strong critic of Trump since they parted ways in his first term in office, and a source close to Bolton told NBC News on the day of the search that they believed it was “retribution, pure and simple."
Cassidy touts his questions to Kennedy
Cassidy released a statement touting his line of questions during the hearing with Kennedy.
The statement reiterated that Cassidy believes Trump should get a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed, saying that "we saved millions of lives globally, trillions of dollars, we reopened the economy — incredible accomplishment."
The release also noted that Kennedy agreed.
What is Operation Warp Speed?
Senators from both parties brought up Operation Warp Speed again and again at Kennedy's hearing. The government initiative in Trump's first term fast-tracked vaccine development, manufacturing and distribution as Covid ground the world to a standstill.
The operation brought together HHS, the Defense Department and private drugmakers.
Senators from both parties praised the operation today, and some pointed out Kennedy's criticism of the Covid vaccines despite Trump's role in making them available during the height of the pandemic.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., asked Kennedy whether he agreed that Trump should get a Nobel Prize for the operation, and Kennedy said yes.
Trump has previously praised the operation, having said in 2020 that it was "a monumental national achievement," according to an archived transcript.
Erick Erickson pushes back on Kennedy, says wife could not get a Covid vaccine
Conservative commentator Erick Erickson reiterated in a post on X that his wife, who has cancer, could not get a Covid vaccine.
"Kennedy says I’m wrong, but my wife literally went to get the vaccine and CVS could not give it to her," Erickson wrote.
Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy had read a note from Erickson, who said that HHS would prevent his wife from getting a Covid vaccine. Kennedy said this wasn't true.
Kennedy's hearing adjourns
The Senate hearing featuring Kennedy's testimony has concluded after about three hours.
What is VAERS?
VAERS, or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, has been cited several times during the hearing, including by Kennedy and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
VAERS is a publicly available FDA database that anyone, including doctors and patients, can submit reports to about what they say are adverse events linked to vaccines. The claims in VAERS have not been verified, but FDA scientists will use the database as a guide for topics to investigate and confirm.
Anti-vaccine activists have long pointed to VAERS as evidence that vaccines are dangerous, but because the claims have not been verified, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from VAERS data alone.
Kennedy said of the Covid vaccine: “There were more reports to VAERS, which is the only surveillance system we have of injuries and deaths from that vaccine, than all vaccines put together in history.”
The FDA and the CDC maintain several robust databases to monitor for vaccine safety. It was these databases that pointed to safety concerns linked to the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine, which was later pulled from the market, as well as reports of heart inflammation in young men from the mRNA Covid vaccines.
Sen. Warnock says Kennedy should resign or be fired
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., told Kennedy, "You are a hazard to the health of the American people."
"I think that you ought to resign, and if you don't resign, the president of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you," he concluded.
Sen. Sanders hits Kennedy over ignoring well-respected medical associations
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tore into Kennedy over his statements opposing positions by major medical associations.
Sanders said the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association are saying that Covid vaccines and vaccines in general are safe and effective.
"You are casting doubt on that. ... Who are the organizations that are agreeing with you and casting aspersions on vaccines?" Sanders asked, raising his voice.
Kennedy said, "There’s a big difference, senator, between established science and the scientific establishment, which has been co-opted by the pharmaceutical" industry.
Sanders questioned why people shouldn't trust major medical groups that represent hundreds of thousands of people.
Kennedy said he relies on advice from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Food and Drug Administration head Dr. Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and said he disagrees with them and has heated arguments with them all the time.
Sen. Tillis criticizes Kennedy contradicting previous statements
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., criticized Kennedy's move to fire the head of the CDC, making him the third Republican senator to express concerns over his actions.
Tillis read Kennedy's prior praise for former CDC head Susan Monarez, asking how it squared with his move to fire her.
"As somebody who advised executives on hiring strategies, No. 1, I would suggest in the interview you ask them if they're truthful, rather than four weeks after we took the time of the U.S. Senate to confirm the person, just for the future nominee that we're going to have to consider," said Tillis, who is not seeking re-election next year.
Tillis said he believed that some of Kennedy's statements contradicted what he said previously, and asked the secretary for evidence that he has empowered scientists to do their jobs. He added that Kennedy's prior assertion that he would not impose his own beliefs seemed "contradictory to the firing of a CDC director, the canceling of mRNA research contracts, firing advisory board members, attempting to stall NIH funding," among other actions.
He also asked Kennedy for a "definitive statement" as to where he stood on Operation Warp Speed, which Tillis called an accomplishment. Kennedy chimed in, saying he agreed.
RFK reiterates claim that former CDC director lied about being fired
Kennedy, pressed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on today's op-ed by the ousted CDC director, reiterated his claim that she lied about his interactions with her.
In an editorial published in The Wall Street Journal, Susan Monarez described a meeting with Kennedy on Aug. 25 in which she was told by Kennedy to preapprove recommendations from the new ACIP panel that is scheduled to meet Sept. 18-19.
Kennedy said that was a lie, and that when he asked her if she was trustworthy she said, "No."
Monarez was abruptly fired last week after just 29 days on the job.
Following up, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he hoped to call Monarez to a hearing.
Ousted CDC chief warns that RFK Jr. is politicizing public health
Monarez, who was recently fired as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that Kennedy was actively seeking to undermine the scientific process used to make influential public health recommendations.
In an editorial published today in The Wall Street Journal, Monarez wrote that Kennedy’s move to replace the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which makes suggestions about who should get certain vaccines, risked ignoring science in favor of ideology.
“Once trusted experts are removed and advisory bodies are stacked, the results are predetermined. That isn’t reform. It is sabotage,” she wrote.
Monarez, who was abruptly fired last week after just 29 days on the job, described a meeting with Kennedy on Aug. 25 in which she was told to preapprove recommendations from the new ACIP panel that is scheduled to meet Sept. 18-19.
“One of the troubling directives from that meeting more than a week ago: I was told to preapprove the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed antivaccine rhetoric,” she wrote.
Kennedy claims he isn't taking away vaccines
During a tense exchange with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Kennedy claimed that he was not taking vaccines away from people.
His claim comes after the FDA last month recommended Covid boosters for only certain people, including adults age 65 and older, as well as people with a medical condition that puts them at risk of a severe illness.
Covid vaccines can cost up to $140 without insurance.
Scientists carry out studies in order to provide updated vaccines.
Kennedy struggles to answer questions about Medicare
Kennedy struggled to answer a question from Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., about how much people on Medicare are expected to pay for prescription drugs next year.
“How much are Medicare Part D enrollees expected to pay for prescription drugs next year?” Masto asked.
“I think that is in debate right now,” Kennedy said.
Masto told Kennedy that people are expected to pay up to $50 per month and then followed up with a question about Medicare Part B.
”Let me ask you a question for you on Part B. How much are Medicare Part B premiums expected to increase next year?”
“I don’t know,” Kennedy said.
Medicare Part D covers drugs that people take at home, while Medicare Part B covers medications administered in a health care facility, such as chemotherapy drugs.
As health secretary, Kennedy oversees the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees Medicare and Medicare as well as the Affordable Care Act.
The back-and-forth echoed Kennedy’s confirmation hearing in January, where he struggled to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid.
Insurance companies have noted that they plan to increase premiums next year.
Congressional Democrats rally against RFK
Senate and House Democrats rallied to criticize Kennedy's handling of the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services ahead of his appearance before the Senate Finance Committee this morning.
Several senators and all six members of the Democratic Doctors Caucus joined the rally held in conjunction with Protect Our Care and 314 Action.
California Rep. Ami Bera, who is a physician, slammed his Republican colleagues who are also doctors and called it “shameful” that they aren’t standing up against Kennedy, saying they took the same Hippocratic oath.
"Dr. Cassidy, you took that same oath,” Bera said. “You’re in a position today to ask some really hard, pointed questions. Please do it. Do it for America’s patients, and it’s time for us to stand up.”
Multiple speakers highlighted Kennedy’s firing of the Vaccine Advisory Committee and said he lied during his confirmation.
“He lied to our faces when he was questioned very directly in the HELP, the Help Education, Labor and Pension Committee, about whether he would do this,” Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said. “He said he would not.”
Alsobrooks said Kennedy acted with “unmitigated gall” in firing CDC Director Susan Monarez.
“Not only was she fired for failing to follow his pseudoscience, but what we know is that because of his lack of leadership, he caused other experts to resign from the CDC,” Alsobrooks said.
Sen. Barrasso says he is 'deeply concerned' about RFK's tenure
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said he believed that "one of President Trump's greatest achievements was his bold and successful actions on Covid."
"He was determined to find a cure, and through Operation Warp Speed, a vaccine was developed that distributed quickly, safely, effectively, and I believe it saved many, many lives. I think it's a model of American ingenuity and public-private partnership," Barrasso said.
Barrasso continued, praising President George Washington's handling of smallpox vaccines.
"It was among the most consequential decisions Washington would ever make," Barrasso said. "By protecting his troops from smallpox, Washington preserved the Continental Army, which allowed our nation to continue fight for our independence."
The senator emphasized that vaccines work, adding that he has "grown deeply concerned" with Kennedy's leadership.
"Americans don’t know who to rely on," he said, noting the firing of the CDC director, recent measles outbreak and Kennedy's hiring of vaccine skeptics.
He added that "if we’re going to make America healthy again, we can’t allow public health to be undermined."
Sen. Hassan says Kennedy is 'undermining one of the president’s biggest achievements' in Operation Warp Speed
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., grilled Kennedy on his past criticism of Trump's Operation Warp Speed.
"Although I have strongly opposed many of President Trump's actions, I agree with him that Operation Warp Speed in 2020 was a monumental achievement. Unfortunately, you are undermining one of the president's biggest achievements, which, as the president said, saved millions of American lives," she said.
She accused Kennedy of ignoring data and not being transparent.
Kennedy accused Hassan of "making stuff up."
Kennedy questions safety of abortion pill
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., asked Kennedy about a review the government has been conducting on safety protocols for abortion medication.
"There were a lot of changes on the allocation of mifepristone for elective abortions under the Biden administration," Lankford said of one of the key drugs for a self-managed abortion. "It's now open to anyone without a prescription on it. You don't have to go through a doctor on it. There's all kinds of issues that are happening now on it."
The Supreme Court last year rejected a challenge to the legality of mifepristone, but many states still impose restrictions when it comes to the medication.
Lankford noted there's a review underway on its safety and asked for the timing of the results.
"I can't give you the exact timing," said Kennedy, who added that he's spoken to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary about it yesterday. "He said it is progressing, the pace, we're getting data, and all the time new data on that we're reviewing. And we know that during the Biden administration, they actually twisted the data to bury one of the safety signals."
Sen. Tina Smith says that confirming Miran is 'not the right step to take'
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., called Miran a Trump "loyalist" and questioned whether his nomination was just a ploy by Trump to land more supporters on the board of governors at the Federal Reserve.
Smith asked about Miran's stance favoring cutting interest rates, which the Fed has been reluctant to do — a major source of frustration for Trump.
Miran answered that he thought the Fed needed to be "forward looking at its expectations of where inflation and employment are going" as indicated by Congress' mandates. He added that his understanding "is that a wide variety of policies that have been implemented since January are actually quite disinflationary."
"I think we can be pretty clear about what’s happening here," Smith told Miran. "This nomination, your nomination, is getting rushed through because the president is frustrated with the Fed for not cutting rates, and he sees he wants loyalists on the Fed board. I mean, that’s just pretty obvious."
"My view here, Mr. Chair and Ranking Member, is that it is extremely important for this committee to take a stand against politicizing the Fed, that that is the best thing for the long term health of our economy, and that this is not the right step to take, if that is our goal," she added at the end of her remarks.
Kennedy falsely claims there are no Medicaid cuts under the Trump administration
Kennedy falsely claimed in an exchange with Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., that no Medicaid cuts are taking place under the Trump administration.
Warner said that people are concerned that they're going to lose their health care under the Trump domestic policy law known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
"They already live in food deserts. They can't get to a nutritionist because Medicaid doesn't do enough reimbursement. If you're going to want Americans to get healthier, should they have access to nutritionists? Should they have access to good science about healthy food? ... Well, then how is that going to happen with the Medicaid cuts that are taking place?" Warner said.
"There are no cuts to Medicaid, sir," Kennedy said.
The new GOP law, however, did include deep cuts to Medicaid.
Sen. Warner presses Kennedy on Covid facts
Asked by Sen. Mark Warner whether he accepted that 1 million Americans died from Covid, Kennedy said he did not know how many died.
"You're the secretary of health and human services," the Virginia senator pressed. "You don't have any idea how many Americans died from Covid?"
"I don't think anybody knows that," Kennedy claimed.
The CDC's data indicate that more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. have died from Covid.
Pressed as to whether he believed that vaccines prevented further Covid deaths, Kennedy said he would like to see data. Research published in August found that the Covid vaccines saved more than 2 million lives.
Sen. Andy Kim questions why Miran wouldn't resign from White House during Federal Reserve tenure
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., questioned Trump's nominee to the Federal Reserve, Stephen Miran, about whether Miran plans to resign from his position as the head of the White House Council of Economic Advisors while he serves on the Fed, an independent body.
Miran has been nominated to finish a term that ends in January.
"If I heard you correctly, if you are confirmed to this, you are not going to resign from your current position at the White House," Kim directed at Miran.
Miran answered that he'd been advised by lawyers that the best legal approach would be to take a leave of absence from his role at the White House.
In response, Kim blasted the plan, saying, "I just want to ask you why the council advised you in that way. You have every right to just say, 'No, I’m going to resign.'"
Kim added that the reason some Democrats appeared to question Miran's independence on the Fed was because, "you could very well be continuing to act in a way that is in the political interest of the president, because, you know, he is going to be your future boss again at the White House."
Sen. Kennedy to Trump's Fed nominee: 'Are you Donald Trump's puppet?'
During his questioning time, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., blamed his colleague, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., for calling Miran a "puppet" of the Trump administration.
"My good friend, Senator Warren, says, you're Donald Trump’s puppet. Are you Donald Trump’s puppet?" Kennedy asked.
"Not at all," Miran answered. "I’m very independently minded, as shown by my willingness to stray from consensus and have out-of-consensus views. And I believe that, you know, I will continue to be as independent in my thinking process."
Cantwell tells Kennedy 'you're a charlatan'
During a tense exchange with Kennedy, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., called him a "charlatan."
"The mRNA technology is about continuing the research to be ready for the next flu, influenza, the next pandemic," Cantwell said.
Kennedy then interrupted her: "I'm happy to have a detailed discussion with you, but you're so wrong about your facts."
"You're interrupting me, and sir, you're a charlatan," she responded. "That's what you are. You're the ones who conflate chronic disease with the need for vaccines."
Miran dodges question on firing members of the Federal Reserve governors
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., questioned Miran on whether he would commit to "advising the president publicly to refrain from exercising this authority" to fire federal reserve governors if the courts give him that power.
Miran didn't directly answer the question, instead referring to the system of checks and balances in place for the Federal Reserve.
"Checks and balances work between the Congress and the executive and the judiciary, the two chambers of Congress, because they all work in conjunction and prevent power from being concentrated," Miran said, in part.
Sen. Bill Cassidy: 'Effectively, we’re denying people vaccine'
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., began his remarks by saying that he believed Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed, which helped develop Covid vaccines.
Asked whether Kennedy agrees, he said yes.
Cassidy, a doctor, grilled Kennedy on his stances on vaccines, criticizing HHS for canceling Covid vaccine-related contracts. He also read a note from conservative commentator Erick Erickson expressing concern that the "mess at HHS" would prevent his wife, who has cancer, from getting the Covid vaccine.
"My wife has stage four lung cancer," Cassidy said, reading the note from Erickson. "She is one of the people the Covid vaccine actually helps. Thanks to the current mess at HHS, CVS is unable to get her a vaccine."
He read a second note from a physician friend who expressed confusion over who could get a Covid vaccine.
"I would say, effectively, we're denying people vaccines," Cassidy concluded.
Kennedy objected, saying, "You're wrong."
Cassidy and Kennedy share a warm handshake at start of hearing
Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
Cassidy and Kennedy shook hands just before the hearing, offering quite an image to kick this off.
Cassidy has been critical of RFK's recent moves but said he wanted to hear the secretary's side of the story first. Cassidy is a doctor and provided a pivotal vote for Kennedy's confirmation, only after the secretary made assurances about protecting vaccines. Several Republican senators told NBC News yesterday that they would be looking to Cassidy in deciding their own approaches to Kennedy in this hearing.
In heated exchange, Kennedy doubles down on false claim that mRNA vaccines cause serious harm
In a heated exchange with Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Kennedy said he supports a statement made by a new vaccine advisory panel member that mRNA vaccines pose a dangerous risk.
Bennet noted that Dr. Retsef Levi has said that evidence is mounting that mRNA vaccines cause "serious harm, including death, especially among young people."
Kennedy said he wasn't aware of those comments, but said, "I agree with it."
"It's not true!" Bennet said. "It wasn’t true when he said it. It’s not true when you said it."
Bennet pressed Kennedy about whether ACIP will recommend a change in the children's vaccine schedule. "I do not anticipate a change in the MMR vaccine. You know, ACIP is an independent panel," Kennedy said.
The two continued to argue and Bennet sternly told Kennedy, "I'm asking the questions."
Kennedy recently ended 22 contracts that focused on the development of mRNA vaccines.
Kennedy casts doubt on Covid vaccines despite vaccines widely considered to be safe and effective
Kennedy touted Covid vaccine skepticism, despite the vaccines being widely considered safe and effective.
"We were told again and again the vaccines would prevent transmission, they prevent infection. It wasn’t true. They knew it from the start," Kennedy said.
Covid vaccines are estimated to have saved millions of lives.
Warren and Miran spar over whether tariffs cause inflation
During her questioning time, Warren, D-Mass., sparred with Miran over the cause of inflation in the U.S.
"You’ve claimed, for example, that consumers thus far have not seen any material macroeconomic increase from tariffs at all," Warren told Miran, before adding: "The numbers do not back you up. Since January, the cost of groceries is up. Cost of utilities is up. Cost of housing is up. Cost of back-to-school shoes is up. Cost of backpacks and baby strollers: up."
Miran, answering Warren, accused her of "conflating relative price increases with inflation price level."
"There has been no detectable increase in the aggregate price level as a result of tariffs," he added.
In response, Warren told Miran, "Say whatever Donald Trump wants you to do or say."
Warren questions Miran about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election
Sen. Warren, the ranking member on the Senate Banking Committee, questioned Trump's nominee for the Federal Reserve on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
"I think the American people have a right to understand just how independent you are or are not. So let’s measure that a little bit," Warren said. "Let’s start with an easy question to show that you have some independence from the president. Easy yes or no. Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 presidential election?
"Joe Biden was certified by Congress as the president of the United States," Miran answered.
"So did Donald Trump lose that election?" Warren pressed again.
"As I just said, Joe Biden was certified," Miran told the Massachusetts senator.
"Can you say the words 'Donald Trump lost that election'? Are you independent enough to say that?" Warren questioned Miran.
Kennedy claims members of key advisory panel are 'pro-vaccine'
Wyden dug into Kennedy's decision to fire every member of a key independent vaccine advisory committee.
"You replaced them with nonexperts, vaccine skeptics and conspiracy theorists. As a result, this critical advisory panel has lost scientific credibility," Wyden said.
In a tense exchange, Kennedy replied, "Senator, I didn't politicize ACIP," referring to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
"What we did is we got rid of the conflicts of interest. ... We depoliticized and put great scientists on it from a very diverse group," the HHS secretary said. "They are very, very pro-vaccine."
Several of Kennedy's newly appointed members of ACIP have spoken out against vaccines, including the Covid vaccine.
Wyden says 'kids are going to die' because of Kennedy's moves on vaccines
Wyden said in his remarks that Kennedy's efforts to restrict access to vaccines will lead to children dying.
"I've made it clear I think that Secretary Kennedy is dead set on making it harder for children to get vaccines, and that kids are going to die because of it," he said.
Wyden entered fired CDC Director Susan Monarez's Wall Street Journal op-ed into the record.
Kennedy accuses former CDC director Susan Monarez of lying
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked Kennedy if he had asked former CDC Director Susan Monarez to go along with his department's vaccine recommendations, as she described in a Wall Street Journal op-ed this morning.
Kennedy denied he instructed Monarez, who was fired last week, to do this. Asked whether Monarez was lying, he said, "Yes, sir."
Monarez said in the op-ed that she was directed to "preapprove the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed antivaccine rhetoric."
"Public health shouldn’t be partisan. Vaccines have saved millions of lives under administrations of both parties. Parents deserve a CDC they can trust to put children above politics, evidence above ideology and facts above fear," she said later in the op-ed.
Miran promises to 'dutifully carry out' his role if confirmed to Federal Reserve
In his opening statement, Trump's nominee to be a Federal Reserve governor, Stephen Miran, appeared to try to assuage his critics by making clear he would be an independent member of the Fed.
"However, if confirmed, I plan to dutifully carry out my role pursuant to the mandates assigned by Congress. My opinions and decisions will be based on my analysis of the macroeconomy and what’s best for its long-term stewardship," Miran said.
He added, "Congress wisely tasked the Fed with pursuing price stability, maximum employment and moderate long-term interest rates. If confirmed, I will transparently and honestly work towards that pursuit with the goal of preserving a stable and healthy economy that benefits all Americans."
Kennedy praises officer killed responding to CDC shooting, criticizes growth of vaccine schedule
Kennedy opened his remarks by paying respects to DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, who was killed responding to the CDC shooting last month.
"I’d like Officer Rose’s family to know that he remains in my prayers, and he will forever be in our thoughts," Kennedy said, according to his written statement.
Kennedy praised the administration's priorities and floated vaccine skepticism.
"The overmedicalization of American children described in the Make our Children Healthy Again Assessment was channeled in part through the growth of the childhood vaccine schedule by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP)," his written statement read.
Approved vaccines are widely considered safe and effective.
Wyden asks that RFK be sworn in, Crapo denies request
Wyden asked that Kennedy be sworn in for the hearing before he began his testimony because of his record of not following through on statements or promises he made during his confirmation hearing.
The Oregon Democrat said that Kennedy previously claimed he would not, as HHS secretary, make it more difficult to access vaccines or discourage people from taking them.
"That was clearly not true. His unprecedented unilateral actions to restrict access to Covid vaccines, that alone proves it," Wyden said. "I think it is unfortunate that I have to do this, but given the unprecedented nature of the witness's behavior, I would ask now that the committee formally swear in Robert Kennedy as a witness."
Crapo said he personally objected. "We will treat this witness as we treat all of the other administration witnesses who come before us," he said.
Protester interrupts Kennedy hearing
A protester shouting from the back of the room just interrupted RFK Jr.’s opening statement. The shouts were unclear and the person was quickly escorted out of the room before Crapo invited Kennedy to continue.
Sen. Warren blasts Trump administration and his Federal Reserve governor nominee
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the ranking member on the Senate banking committee, blasted the president and his nominee who is before her committee today: Stephen Miran, whom Trump picked to be a Federal Reserve governor.
In her opening remarks, Warren slammed Trump for what she called his "monthslong campaign to seize control of the Federal Reserve."
"Instead of taking responsibility for his failing economic agenda ... Trump wants to make the Federal Reserve his scapegoat," Warren added.
The Massachusetts senator went on to accuse Trump of wanting to "install his lackeys so that we will have a Fed that uses its power to please the president but that can't be trusted to keep inflation under control."
Miran is chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and agrees with the president that the Fed should cut interest rates.
Wyden slams Kennedy: 'Every single day there’s been an action that endangers' Americans
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., slammed Kennedy's tenure as HHS secretary.
"Every single day, there's been an action that endangers the health and wellness of American families," said Wyden, the top Democrat on the committee. "Robert Kennedy has elevated conspiracy theorists, crackpots and grifters to make life or death decisions about the health care of the American people."
He argued that Kennedy's tenure has been marked by chaos, corruption and higher health care costs. Wyden gave scathing critiques of Kennedy's firing of health care officials and overhauling of a key vaccine committee.
"Instead of finding ways to help American families pay less for health care, Robert Kennedy is focused on his anti-vaccine mission, fueled by some kind of complex that the consequences be damned," Wyden said.
The senator also tried to tie Kennedy to the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
"Mr. Kennedy calls himself a protector of children, some kind of rich claim, claiming from somebody who’s flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet," Wyden said.
Some audience members hold 'Fire RFK' signs
A couple of members of the public are sitting in the back of the hearing room with "Fire RFK" signs on the back of what look like white lab coats. Chants of "I love you, Bobby," were also heard outside the room.
Crapo begins Kennedy hearing by praising his work with Trump to improve Americans’ health
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, began the RFK hearing by praising Kennedy’s collaboration with Trump in their effort to improve Americans’ health. Crapo cited Kennedy’s efforts to find the root cause of chronic disease and eliminate abuse of federal health care programs.
Senate hearing with RFK Jr. kicks off
The health secretary's hearing has begun.
Kennedy is expected to face questions about the major shakeup at the CDC and his positions on vaccines.
He testified before Congress multiple times this year, facing tough questions and comments about his vaccine skepticism and other issues from both sides of the aisle.
Senate banking committee considers Trump's nominee for the Federal Reserve
The Senate banking committee has started a hearing to consider Trump's nomination of Stephen Miran to fill a vacancy in a governor role at the Federal Reserve.
Trump nominated Miran, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, after Fed governor Adriana Kugler, whose term was set to expire in January, resigned early.
Senate Finance Committee Democrats call for Kennedy's resignation
Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee called for RFK Jr.'s resignation as HHS secretary in a joint statement just moments before the panel's hearing.
“Robert Kennedy was unfit to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services before he was on the job, which is why every Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee opposed his nomination,” the members said.
“Robert Kennedy has failed to protect the health of the American people and endangers the lives of all Americans, particularly children, people with disabilities, and vulnerable Americans," they continued. "Robert Kennedy must resign, and if he doesn’t, Trump should fire him before more American families are hurt by his reckless disregard for science and the truth.”
The members who signed the statement were Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Mark Warner, D-Va., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Raphael G. Warnock, D-Ga., and Peter Welch, D-Vt.
Trump's Federal Reserve nominee is a close ally
Stephen Miran, who is testifying today before the Senate banking committee, has long been a close ally of Trump.
Miran serves as the head of the Council of Economic Advisors and is a proponent of the president's tariff agenda.
Trump this year has often attacked the Federal Reserve and Fed Chair Jerome Powell, despite the fact that the Fed is meant to operate independently of the White House. Miran, in a 2024 paper, echoed Trump's recent attacks on the Federal Reserve.
In addition to broadly attacking Powell, the president has pressured the independent body to lower interest rates, blaming high interest rates for persistent inflation. Last month, Trump also sought to fire a different member of the central bank — Fed governor Lisa Cook. The move has escalated to a legal battle over whether the president has the right to fire members of the independent agency.
Fired CDC director says she was told to preapprove recommendations from panel whose members have questioned vaccines
Former CDC Director Susan Monarez said in an op-ed published today that before she was fired last week, she was told to back recommendations made by a panel whose members have questioned vaccines.
"I was told to preapprove the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed antivaccine rhetoric," she wrote in The Wall Street Journal, which she called a "troubling directive" she was given more than a week ago.
Monarez said that panel's next meeting is scheduled for later this month.
"It is imperative that the panel’s recommendations aren’t rubber-stamped but instead are rigorously and scientifically reviewed before being accepted or rejected," she wrote.
The Trump administration fired her last week, after she resisted resigning.
Monarez said vaccines have saved millions of people under administrations of both parties.
"I was fired for holding that line. But the line doesn’t disappear with me. It runs through every parent deciding whether to vaccinate a child, every physician counseling patients, and every American who demands accountability," she wrote. "If we stay silent, preventable diseases will return — as we saw with the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which tragically killed two children. If we act, the facts can still prevail."
Long line for Kennedy hearing
There’s a long line of members of the public waiting to enter RFK Jr.’s hearing this morning. Committee staff just informed the line that there will only be 17 seats open to the public.
Sen. Cassidy will be a key voice during RFK hearing
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., will be a key voice from the Republican side during the hearing after he originally expressed concerns about Kennedy's nomination and wavered on whether to confirm him.
Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said earlier this year that he was "struggling" with Kennedy's nomination, especially because of past comments critical of vaccines.
Cassidy, a practicing gastroenterologist before entering Congress, ultimately joined Republicans in confirming Kennedy after he said he had secured commitments from him, including not to fire anyone on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The Senate HELP committee oversees the CDC.
But Kennedy abruptly fired all 17 members of that committee in June and replaced them with eight new members, including several vaccine skeptics.
Amid the turmoil at HHS and the CDC in recent weeks, Cassidy has questioned the developments and Kennedy's leadership, saying that they require "oversight" and "radical transparency."
The U.S. is headed toward two very different vaccination realities
Turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and states beginning to take more control of their own vaccine decisions threaten to fracture the once-national consensus around immunization, setting the stage for a reorganization of the way vaccination recommendations work across the United States.
The moves together point toward an increasingly stark divide emerging in the U.S. around vaccinations, with some Republican-led states starting to roll back or eliminate mandates, while Democrat-led states split from the CDC to come up with their own vaccination guidance.
Navy reverses demotion of Rep. Ronny Jackson, ex-White House doctor
Rep. Ronny Jackson announced that the Navy has restored his retired rank of rear admiral, overturning a 2022 demotion that followed a scathing investigation that found major issues with his behavior while he was the top White House physician.
The Texas Republican yesterday posted a June 13 letter from Navy Secretary John Phelan saying he had reinstated Jackson to the retired rank of a one-star admiral following a “review of all applicable reports and references.” The Navy confirmed the move, with a spokesperson for Phelan saying he “greatly appreciates Congressman Jackson’s decades of distinguished naval service.”
Illinois senators demand answers from administration on Trump's threat to deploy troops to Chicago
Democratic Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth sent a letter to top officials in the Trump administration demanding answers related to the president's threats to deploy federal troops to Chicago.
"We strongly object to President Trump’s threats to deploy the military in Chicago against American citizens and over the objections of state and local officials," Durbin and Duckworth wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel.
"While he claims his intent is to 'crack down on crime,' this threatened intrusion of the federal government into state and local affairs comes at a time of falling crime rates in Chicago," the senators added.
Durbin and Duckworth gave the Trump administration officials a Sept. 24 deadline to provide information about Trump's proposed troop deployment, including "memoranda produced by your respective agency discussing the legal basis for deploying the National Guard or any active-duty military personnel in Chicago or Illinois."
The Democratic senators also demanded a "detailed description of the planned deployment," a list of personnel involved in the operation and "a copy of all training materials."
Trump's threats to send troops into major cities such as Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans have drawn fierce criticism from Democratic mayors and lawmakers, with many decrying the proposals as a clear case of federal overreach on shaky legal grounds.
Trump threatens to strip Rosie O'Donnell's citizenship, but lacks constitutional authority to do so
Amid a flurry of Truth Social posts last night, Trump posted that he was giving “serious thought to taking away Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship” with what appears to be a doctored image of the comedian.
Trump posted something similar in July, saying she was a “threat to humanity” and should remain in Ireland, where she moved earlier this year.
Despite the threats, the Constitution does not allow a president to strip citizenship of someone born in the U.S., which O’Donnell was.
O’Donnell, a comedian and longtime Trump critic, responded on Instagram, saying: “banishing me again? logan roy would be proud," referring to a character in the television series "Succession." "im the distraction — EPSTEIN SURVIVORS are the reckoning and your gold lamé throne is melting,” she continued.
‘Venezuela has been a very bad actor,’ Trump says, threatening escalation
The Trump administration is warning would-be drug traffickers that they will meet the same fate as those killed in a boat the U.S blew up Tuesday in the southern Caribbean, a dramatic escalation in the drug war and the White House’s bitter feud with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
“Venezuela has been a very bad actor,” Trump said yesterday in the Oval Office.
The U.S.’ offensive posture in the region is raising questions about its ultimate goal — and how U.S. intelligence agencies were so certain that the boat contained drugs and members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
“We have tapes of them speaking,” Trump said. “It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people.”
Trump appeals to the Supreme Court to preserve his sweeping tariffs
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court yesterday to quickly decide whether he has the power to impose broad tariffs under a law designed for use during times of emergency.
The Justice Department is appealing a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday that Trump had exceeded his authority, the filings said.
In rare interviews, federal judges criticize Supreme Court’s handling of Trump cases
Federal judges are frustrated with the Supreme Court for increasingly overturning lower court rulings involving the Trump administration with little or no explanation, with some worried the practice is undermining the judiciary at a sensitive time.
Some judges believe the Supreme Court, and in particular Chief Justice John Roberts, could be doing more to defend the integrity of their work as Trump and his allies harshly criticize those who rule against him and as violent threats against judges are on the rise.
In rare interviews with NBC News, a dozen federal judges — appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents, including Trump, and serving around the country — pointed to a pattern they say has recently emerged:
Lower court judges are handed contentious cases involving the Trump administration. They painstakingly research the law to reach their rulings. When they go against Trump, administration officials and allies criticize the judges in harsh terms. The government appeals to the Supreme Court, with its 6-3 conservative majority. And then the Supreme Court, in emergency rulings, swiftly rejects the judges’ decisions with little to no explanation.
Trump says Putin and Zelenskyy are ‘not ready’ for peace as Europe faces pressure to step up
With the United States seemingly content to take a back seat, a high-level meeting in Paris today will seek to answer the question: Can European powers step up and bring Ukraine and Russia closer to peace?
An actual halt in fighting seems an increasingly distant ambition, with Trump — who will call into the meeting in the French capital — conceding that while he remained hopeful of progress, the two sides were clearly “not ready yet” to make a deal.
And Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to Beijing on Wednesday that he will end the war by force if Ukraine does not agree to his demands. He suggested he would meet with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only in Moscow.
Senators prepare to grill RFK Jr. amid turmoil at the CDC and vaccine changes
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heads to Capitol Hill for testimony today, a week after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez was fired and a series of vaccine-related decisions drew criticism from lawmakers, including Senate health committee chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.
Monarez’s firing led several senior CDC officials to resign and fueled a staff protest outside the agency’s Atlanta headquarters last week. In a scathing editorial in The New York Times on Monday, nine former CDC directors called Kennedy “dangerous” and said his actions are “unlike anything our country has ever experienced.”
Among his recent actions, Kennedy fired all the members of an influential CDC panel that makes recommendations on vaccinations and replaced them with his own handpicked members, some of whom are known anti-vaccine activists. He slashed $500 million in mRNA vaccine research and announced that the Food and Drug Administration had limited this fall’s Covid shot approval for people 65 and older and those with underlying medical conditions.
