Republican Senator Tells CNN ‘We’re Going to Find Out’ What Anti-Vaccine Activist RFK Jr. Thinks About Vaccines

Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) told CNN Friday, “We’ll find out” what secretary of health and human services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thinks about vaccines during the confirmation process even though Kennedy’s own words have left little doubt as to his views

Rounds and other Senate Republicans say they want to give Trump “the benefit of the doubt” on his controversial cabinet picks that include former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.

On Friday’s edition of Inside Politics, host Manu Raju pointed out the disconnect between Rounds touting immunizations in his own state while taking a wait-and-see attitude on Kennedy’s confirmation.

“It’s true that I am in favor of vaccines. I think they work, I think we’ve saved millions of lives, I think it’s moving in the right direction,” Rounds said. “I don’t mind having someone question whether or not we’re doing the right things with regard to the processes or who influences our decisions about which vaccines are promoted and which ones we may not get out into the public.”

Raju pressed Rounds on whether he had any “concerns” about RFK Jr.

“Look, if he is not in favor of vaccines, most certainly we’re going to find out what his thoughts are on it,” Rounds answered. “And I’m not necessarily sure that it’s so much he’s not in favor of vaccines. It may be that he doesn’t like the process we go through to find out whether or not they’re safe, but that’s the reason why you do this process. That’s the reason why you vet them. That’s the reason why you have specific committees with a huge amount of expertise in those particular areas that do ask those questions.”

Rounds added that the public will be able to witness the Senate confirmations for themselves.

“The American people will actually get to hear directly from these candidates, what they really do say, and not filtered in any way, but direct from them.”

Kennedy has repeatedly made outlandish claims to the public and the media about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Watch the clip above via CNN.