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CV NEWS FEED // Several pro-life senators, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), have praised Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom President-elect Donald Trump nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), after Kennedy pledged protections of the unborn ahead of his confirmation hearings.
The Daily Wire reported Dec. 17 that, while pro-life advocates have raised concerns about his past comments, Kennedy has recently emphasized his commitment to enacting President Donald Trump’s pro-life agenda, reassuring Republican lawmakers that he will advance policies protecting the unborn.
Kennedy has been criticized for inconsistent statements on abortion. In 2023, he suggested he would support a federal ban on abortion after 12 weeks, but his campaign backtracked, stating he believed abortion was “always the woman’s right to choose.”
However, Kennedy has told senators in recent days that he would fully support Trump’s pro-life policies if confirmed. The Daily Wire reported that he pledged to reinstate key measures, including the Mexico City Policy, which prevents federal funds from going to organizations promoting abortion, and the Title X funding bar on abortion providers. He also committed to appointing pro-life deputies and reinstating conscience protections for healthcare providers who oppose abortion.
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Hawley expressed confidence in Kennedy after their meeting, revealing that Kennedy acknowledged there are “far too many abortions in the US” and emphasized the need for America to uphold its moral leadership by reducing abortion rates.
In a social media post, Hawley said that he and Kennedy “had a substantive discussion about American healthcare & his plans to take on Big Pharma.”
“We also had a good discussion, at length, about prolife policies at HHS,” he wrote.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) echoed this sentiment, telling the Daily Wire that Kennedy assured him he would advance Trump’s policies and shared his belief that “we shouldn’t even be having abortions in this world anyway.” Mullin concluded, “I believe Bobby is the right person for this position.”
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CatholicVote President Brian Burch recognized the challenges posed by Kennedy’s evolving position but highlighted his potential to be influenced by pro-life advocates.
“He’s publicly now said that he opposes late-term abortion,” Burch said, adding that Kennedy is grappling with how to reconcile his broader beliefs about protecting human dignity from the exploitative practices of “Big Pharma, Big Government, and Big Tech.”
According to Burch, Kennedy’s struggle centers on balancing his commitment to personal freedom with the moral imperative to protect unborn children.
“We can’t have a Wild West of medicine, particularly medicines that involve destroying human lives,” Burch said.
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Some pro-life advocates have recently expressed skepticism regarding RFK and abortion. National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru argued in a Dec. 10 article in The Washington Post that Kennedy’s position was still out of step with public opinion, which favors significant abortion restrictions in the second and third trimesters. Ponnuru pointed out that HHS oversees critical life-related issues, including conscience protections for medical workers, abortion funding restrictions, and research on embryos. Kennedy has now addressed some of these issues.
Despite these concerns, pro-life senators and advocates are cautiously optimistic. According to the Daily Wire, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) noted Kennedy’s assurance that he would fully support Trump’s policies, including his stance on abortion exceptions. Trump’s transition spokeswoman, Katie Miller, confirmed that Kennedy intends to support the president’s agenda “to the fullest extent.”
Kennedy’s confirmation would place him at the helm of the federal government’s largest department, making his stance on life issues a pivotal concern for pro-life advocates. While his past remarks have raised alarms, his recent commitments suggest an openness to advancing a pro-life agenda under Trump’s leadership.
“Pro-life advocates can help him to understand that this indeed is something that does rise to the level of requiring the state to protect life and women,” Burch said.
The confirmation process may scrutinize whether Kennedy’s commitments will translate into concrete action to uphold and advance pro-life policies at HHS.
