Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sworn in as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary after close Senate vote

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becomes Trump's health secretary, sparking controversy over vaccine skepticism and public health policies.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in Thursday as President Donald Trump’s health secretary after a close Senate vote, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country.

Nearly all Republicans fell in line behind Trump despite hesitancy over Mr. Kennedy’s views on vaccines, voting 52-48 to elevate the scion of one of America’s most storied political — and Democratic — families to secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Democrats unanimously opposed Kennedy.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the only “no” vote among Republicans, mirroring his stands against Trump's picks for the Pentagon chief and director of national intelligence.

“I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world," Mr. McConnell said in a statement afterward. “I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.”

Hours after he was sworn in, Mr. Kennedy said during his first interview as HHS Secretary with Fox News' Laura Ingraham that he would launch a stronger program to more closely monitor vaccine side effects.

The GOP has largely embraced Mr. Kennedy’s vision for the nation's health agencies and his directive for the nation's public health agencies to focus on chronic diseases such as obesity.

“We've got to get into the business of making America healthy again,” said Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, adding that Kennedy will bring a “fresh perspective” to the office.