Vice President JD Vance came to the defense of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday after a tense Senate Finance Committee hearing that saw Democrats hammering Kennedy over his policies. Vance didn’t hold back, blasting critics as “full of s---” in a fiery social media post.
The clash began when Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused Kennedy of promoting conspiracy-driven policies and endangering children with reckless decisions. Wyden charged that Kennedy’s leadership had led to a “fundamentally cruel” agenda. Kennedy fired back by pointing out Wyden’s long tenure in office while chronic disease rates in America have soared to 76%.
After the hearing, Vance unleashed his frustration online, calling out lawmakers who grilled Kennedy. “When I see all these senators trying to lecture and ‘gotcha’ Bobby Kennedy today all I can think is: You all support off-label, untested, and irreversible hormonal ‘therapies’ for children, mutilating our kids and enriching big pharma,” Vance wrote. “You’re full of s--- and everyone knows it.”
Kennedy quickly signaled his gratitude, reposting the Vice President’s remarks with the response, “Thank you @JDVance. You put your finger squarely on the preeminent problem.” Other White House officials joined in as well. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Kennedy, saying Democrats were targeting him because “he’s over the target,” while deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich declared that Democrats were “getting absolutely TORCHED” in the exchange.
The fiery back-and-forth came just a day after more than 1,000 current and former HHS employees issued a public call for Kennedy’s resignation, underscoring the controversy surrounding his tenure. Critics have accused him of mismanaging federal health agencies, spreading conspiracies, and raising costs for families while advancing Trump’s agenda.
Kennedy pushed back hard, insisting his department has been the most proactive in history. He highlighted efforts to confront issues from contaminated baby formula and unsafe drinking water to skyrocketing drug prices, e-cigarettes, the East Palestine chemical spill, and even excessive screen time among children. “We’re ending gain-of-function research, child mutilation and reducing animal testing,” Kennedy said. “At FDA, we are now on track to approve more drugs this year than at any time in history.”
While Wyden and other Democrats blasted Kennedy for “chaos” and “corruption,” Republicans including Vance and Committee Chairman Mike Crapo stood by him. The sharp divide underscored just how contentious Kennedy’s leadership at HHS has become, with partisan battles spilling from the hearing room to social media.