Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was appointed President Donald Trump's health secretary on Thursday, taking over control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations, food safety, and health insurance programs for half the nation.

Despite Kennedy's vaccine beliefs, most Republicans voted 52-48 to confirm Trump as HHS secretary. Kennedy was opposed by all Democrats, as Breitbart News reported.

Mitch McConnell, a Republican senator from Kentucky, was the sole “no” vote from his party, aligning with his opposition to Trump's Pentagon chief and director of national intelligence nominees.

McConnell's Objection

“I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world,” McConnell said in a statement afterward.

“I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.”

In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, given just hours after taking the oath of office, Kennedy promised to establish a more robust program to track adverse reactions to vaccines.

From Republicans

To a large extent, Republicans have followed Kennedy's lead and supported his plans for the federal health agencies, particularly his order for public health programs to prioritize the prevention of chronic diseases like obesity.

“We’ve got to get into the business of making America healthy again,” said Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, adding that Kennedy will bring a “fresh perspective” to the office.

In the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon, Justice Neil Gorsuch administered the oath to Justice John F. Kennedy, who was accompanied by his wife, other relatives, and numerous lawmakers. This occurred just hours after Kennedy had been confirmed.

He recounted childhood memories of seeing President John F. Kennedy there and stated his first visit was in 1961.

Trump's Appointment

Trump stated that Kennedy would head a chronic disease committee, and Kennedy called Trump a “pivotal historical figure” who has blessed him and the nation.

Kennedy, 71, whose name and family misfortunes have put him in the national spotlight since childhood, has a large following for his populist and sometimes extremist views on food, chemicals, and vaccines.

Kennedy gained popularity during the COVID-19 epidemic by focusing on a nonprofit that sued vaccine makers and used social media to undermine belief in vaccinations and government entities that promote them.

Kennedy claimed he was “uniquely positioned” to restore trust in the FDA, CDC, and NIH with Trump's support.