Despite Mitch McConnell and the Democrats’ “no” vote, President Donald Trump’s appointees for National Intelligence and Health and Human Services, Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr., were both sworn in, on consecutive days.
In a landmark decision, and despite Democrat opposition, the US Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence with a 52-48 vote on Wednesday, showcasing conservative support for her leadership. Former GOP Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell (KY), was the only Republican to join the Democrats in voting “no” on Gabbard’s confirmation.
Despite efforts by the aging McConnell to convince other Republican senators to join him, his concerns and arguments were not enough to convince his colleagues. McConnell’s lone protest vote signals an ongoing shift in the Republican party, as establishment Republicans have largely surrendered to the “America First” agenda.
Though some of Gabbard’s views, such as her stance on Syria and Edward Snowden, are controversial, her appointment marks a significant step in her political journey. Within a couple of years’ time, the Hawaii native and former Democrat lawmaker has gone from being hailed as “an emerging star” by Nancy Pelosi, to joining MAGA and Donald Trump’s cabinet as Director of National Intelligence.
The very next day, on Thursday, the Senate made another historic decision, confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary, mirroring Gabbard’s 52-48 vote. RFK Jr.’s confirmation is seen as a bold move toward challenging the existing healthcare paradigm. His Make America Healthy Again movement critiques corporate influence and the use of unhealthy ingredients in our foods and medicines. The movement, which endorses a blend of wellness culture, preventative lifestyle choices, and rigorous food and vaccine quality standards, has earned Kennedy the labels of “conspiracy theorist” and “anti-vax” from many legacy media pundits and politicians.
While touring with President Trump on the campaign trail, Kennedy’s promise to fight the “chronic disease epidemic” resonated with MAGA supporters, as he brought numbers of former Democrats with him to Trump’s camp. As an outspoken critic of the over-medication of American children, Kennedy has also been an opponent of direct-to-consumer marketing by pharmaceutical companies – a practice that is banned in most other countries.
As with Gabbard, McConnell was the only GOP senator to join the Democrats in voting “no” for Kennedy’s confirmation, citing Kennedy’s “conspiracy theories” as the primary reason for his lack of faith in the nominee.
In a press conference late Thursday, a visibly annoyed President Trump expressed his frustration over Mitch McConnell’s choice to vote with Democrat Senate members, against the Confirmation of Robert “Bobby” Kennedy Jr.
“He’d let the Republican Party go to hell, if I didn’t come along, the Republican Party wouldn’t even exist right now. Mitch McConnell never really had it. I was the one that got him to drop out of the leadership position. So, he can’t love me. But he’s not voting against Bobby, he’s voting against me.
The odds of Gabbard and Kennedy’s confirmations was a topic of debate just a week prior, with many pundits doubting they could get the votes needed to win. Now, with both Trump appointees sworn in to their roles, conservatives are celebrating. For both Gabbard and Kennedy, their agendas of radical reform are sure to continue making news.
