Trump Empowered But... 'Vaccine Skeptics' Controversy Spreads Over Kennedy Qualifications

77 Nobel Prize Winners Letter to Senate Against Kennedy's Confirmation

Axios "Kennedy Health Policy Trust People Only 30%"

Kennedy Jr. Opposes Vaccine Mandatory as 'Vaccine Skeptic'

CNN "Kennedy Submits Petition To FDA To Revoke Vaccine Approval"

[Anchor]
The inauguration of the second Trump administration is a month away, but controversy over appointments remains.Controversy continues over Robert Kennedy Jr., the nominee for health and human services secretary,

{Vaccine Skeptics', and opposition to Trump's expression of trust is also fierce.

This is Washington correspondent Hong Sang-hee.

[Reporter]
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert Kennedy Jr. has been visiting the Republican Senate office since Monday this week to appeal for support.

77 Nobel laureates write to Senate against confirmation, saying it risks endangering U.S. public health,

This is because only 30% of U.S. adults say they trust Kennedy's health policy in a recent poll.

The Senate, which will decide whether to approve or not, is also divided.

[Tammy Dirkworth / U.S. Senator (Democrat): I can't believe we're even discussing whether to cancel the polio vaccine. He's an anti-vaxxer. I don't think he's fit for the (health secretary) position.]

[Mike Crepeau / U.S. Senator (Republican): (He said the vaccine could be linked to childhood autism.) That's not my answer. (But you're supportive, right?) Yes, I do.]

Kennedy Jr. has opposed U.S. vaccine mandates, arguing that vaccines cause autism enough to be called a vaccine skeptic.

CNN recently reported that Kennedy Jr. had filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and FDA to revoke the approval of vaccines used in the United States.

Despite growing concerns over Kennedy Jr.'s nominee, Trump has given Kennedy a boost, saying he is also opposed to mandatory vaccinations in schools.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President-elect (16th local time): (Kennedy Jr.) is going to be a lot less radical than you think. If I didn't have an "open mind," I wouldn't even nominate it. It's going to be much less radical.]

If Robert Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, the possibility of shaking up U.S. health policy has increased, leading to more opposition and controversy.

I'm Hong Sang-hee from Washington.