The nonprofit founded by former Vice President Mike Pence is urging Republican senators to oppose the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services, referencing his previous positions on abortion.
Advancing American Freedom, the organization established by Pence in 2023, dispatched a letter to the Republican caucus requesting them to “reject the nomination” of Kennedy, a one-time Democrat appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to oversee the federal agency responsible for the FDA and CDC, as well as administering funds for Planned Parenthood.
“As a presidential candidate, RFK Jr. indicated support for unrestricted abortion up until birth, a view that is vastly inconsistent with the strong pro-life legacy of the first Trump Administration,” states the letter authored by Tim Chapman and Marc Short, the group’s president and chairman, respectively.
“Although RFK Jr. has made certain gestures towards pro-life advocates expressing he would heed their concerns at HHS, there is scant reason for assurance at this moment,” they articulated.
Kennedy exited the Democratic Party to pursue an independent run in the 2024 presidential race but ultimately withdrew in August and backed Trump, who subsequently nominated him for the role of HHS secretary in November.
Throughout his campaign, Kennedy predominantly championed the safeguarding of abortion rights. A policy position released in August 2023 labeled him as a “staunch supporter” of the Roe v. Wade ruling, which was nullified by the Supreme Court in 2022, pledging to legislatively reinstate the abortion rights safeguarded by that decision.
By July 2024, however, Kennedy appeared to soften his viewpoint—advocating instead for what he referred to as an “emerging consensus” in a video shared on social media.
“Even in the most conservative states, the electorate turns down total abortion bans,” Kennedy remarked. “In contrast, in liberal states, there’s nearly universal opposition to third-trimester abortions except when a mother’s life is at risk. Therefore, I endorse the emerging consensus that abortion should be allowed without restriction up until a specific point.”
Nonetheless, Pence has continued to raise alarms regarding Kennedy’s abortion perspective since his nomination was announced.
“If confirmed, RFK Jr. would become the most pro-abortion Republican secretary of HHS in contemporary history,” the former vice president stated in November.
On Wednesday, Pence’s organization reiterated the need for an HHS leader with a “strong dedication to safeguarding unborn children,” asserting that a “robust cadre of pro-life leaders stands ready to serve the American populace as the head of HHS.”
