An organization established by former Vice President Mike Pence has initiated a campaign aimed at persuading Republican senators to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services. Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president during his first term, is against RFK Jr. due to his prior support for abortion rights.
In a letter addressed to senators, Tim Chapman, President of Advancing American Freedom, and Marc Short, the organization’s Board Chairman and Pence’s former chief of staff, stated, “Regardless of the merits of RFK Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative or any other attributes a nominee may possess, it is imperative that an HHS Secretary demonstrates a strong commitment to safeguarding unborn children. Otherwise, they may succumb to the pressures and challenges associated with these vital decisions.”
They further noted, “Although RFK Jr. has made gestures towards pro-life leaders indicating he would consider their concerns at HHS, there is currently little reason for optimism.”
This represents the second formal attempt by Pence and his organization to obstruct Kennedy’s confirmation. Following Trump’s announcement of Kennedy’s nomination, Pence released a statement urging senators to reject him based on his historical support for abortion, as reported by The Hill.
Kennedy, who initially began his 2024 presidential campaign as a Democrat, had previously endorsed a ban on abortion after the first trimester but later retracted that position. He has also voiced opposition to prohibiting abortion prior to fetal viability, typically around 24 weeks of gestation.
On his campaign website, Kennedy asserts that he is “a firm supporter of the principles established 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade” and that “should the courts fail to overturn Dobbs v. Jackson and restore abortion rights, he will advocate for legislation to achieve that goal.”
Despite his past statements, GOP senators seem largely untroubled and have shown considerable support for Kennedy following their meetings with him. Kennedy has been working to reassure Republicans by emphasizing that his personal beliefs are not pertinent to his potential role.
Trump has repeatedly asserted that the issue of abortion access should be left to individual states, in accordance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling on Roe v. Wade. Throughout his campaign, he positioned himself as a moderate regarding this topic.
Conversely, Pence, a committed religious conservative, has increasingly voiced his criticisms of Trump on various policy issues, particularly concerning abortion. He has previously characterized Trump’s position as a “slap in the face” to those who oppose abortion.
Despite these differences, Pence expressed that he “welcomed” his recent interaction with Trump at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, where the two exchanged handshakes.
The broadcast of the service included several notable moments, such as former President George W. Bush playfully tapping former President Barack Obama and a significant conversation between Obama and Trump that was audible to Vice President Kamala Harris. The event also highlighted the handshake and brief dialogue between Trump and Pence, which garnered considerable attention.
This marked the first occasion the two had met and communicated since January 6, 2021, when a mob of MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol, and Pence defied Trump’s wishes by certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, as reported by the Washington Times.
Pence remarked, “The opportunity to speak to the president yesterday is something that I appreciated, I welcomed,” during a podcast interview with Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief Russell Moore, set to air on Wednesday.
“I have truly been blessed by the positive feedback I’ve received from people across the nation who witnessed our handshake and perceived it as a sign of hope that we may be moving beyond those challenging times,” he added. “That is certainly my aspiration.”
Nevertheless, not all attendees at the Carter funeral sought to mend past disputes, as Pence’s wife, Karen, chose to ignore both Donald and Melania Trump entirely.
