Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday explicitly opposed the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“The Trump-Pence administration has been unapologetically pro-life during its four years in office. Hundreds of decisions are made every day at HHS that will lead our country toward or away from respect for life. But HHS under our administration has always held that position “throughout his life,'' Pence said in a lengthy statement Friday on the website of his nonprofit group, Advancing American Freedom. .
“The nomination of Mr. RFK Jr. to be HHS Secretary is a sudden departure from our administration's pro-life track record, and a major departure for the millions of pro-life Americans who have supported the Republican Party and our candidates. I believe it is deeply concerning.''For decades. ”
Pence supports overturning Dobbs and codifying Roe v. Wade, arguing that Kennedy has “advocated for abortion on demand during all nine months of pregnancy” for most of his career. claimed to have done so.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence said he opposes the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“If confirmed, RFK Jr. would become the most pro-abortion Republican Secretary of Health and Human Services in modern history,” Pence wrote.
President-elect Trump announced on Thursday that he would nominate Kennedy as secretary, as he had said during the campaign.
“I am excited to announce the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been exposed to deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to public health. “This includes,” President Trump said in the announcement.
President-elect Trump this week nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Kennedy was frequently seen with Trump in the final months of the campaign, after Trump withdrew his solo bid for the White House and endorsed the Republican candidate.
Pence, who served as vice president during President Trump's first term, will not run alongside Trump again in 2024 and has refused to endorse him.
Kennedy flip-flopped on abortion. In May, he said women should be able to get an abortion when they are near term, but later backtracked by saying there should be restrictions at some point during pregnancy. And last year, he said he supported a 15-week abortion ban before claiming his campaign had misspoken.
Pence served as vice president during President-elect Trump's first term. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
He said on his campaign website that he supports legislation to overturn Dobbs' decision, The Hill reported.
President Trump said last month that he would veto any attempt to ban abortion nationwide, saying it was a matter for individual states.
Liberals are also concerned about Kennedy's nomination because of his controversial stances on issues such as vaccines and fluoride in water.
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FOX News Digital has reached out to Kennedy for comment.
