This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
As violent protests against ICE agents deporting illegal aliens continue across America, White House Border Czar Tom Homan says many of the protesters are actually being paid for their opposition, and federal officials will be prosecuting them to the "highest standards of the law."
Homan appeared on "Sunday Morning Futures" on the Fox News Channel, and was asked by guest host Jason Chaffetz about the authenticity of the protests.
"Some of it might be organic, but it does strike me, it seems like a lot of them are being bused in. You see them at the end of these protests actually getting back on buses," Chaffetz noted. "Are these protesters, the bulk of them, are they actually being financed from the outside?"
"Absolutely," Homan responded. "We know a lot these protesters are being paid. Many of them admitted to it.
"So yes, there's a whole effort right now identifying those who are funding these operations, those who fund the weapons that are being used. They'll be held accountable too and held to the highest standards of the law. They will be prosecuted too."
Homan said Americans need to understand that "ICE is enforcing the laws enacted by Congress. They appropriated funding to enforce these laws. If you don't like what ICE does, then go protest Congress, 'cause we're not making this stuff up."
"And what's most insulting, you've got members of Congress comparing ICE to Nazis and terrorists and racists. Well if they're racists for enforcing the law, what does that make them? They wrote the law."
"So members of Congress, everyone that wants to attack ICE, are disgusting. They're an embarrassment to the position they hold. They're members of Congress, and they don't like what ICE is doing? They do your job and legislate. Until then, President Trump and the men and women of ICE are gonna continue to prioritize public safety threats and national security threats and make this country safer every day."
Chaffetz, a former Republican congressman from Utah, told Homan he made a "good point," explaining: "I once upon a time served in Congress, and I was on the Judiciary Committee. I was on the Subcommittee on Immigration. Guess what. Democrats had the House and Senate and presidency. Do you know how many hearings they held? Two. One was with [late night comedian] Stephen Colbert. The other was to take the class photo. Do you know how many pieces of legislation they tried to move through to change the immigration laws that they are so upset about now? Zero."
Homan stressed there are consequences for being in the U.S. illegally, indicating "70% of everybody ICE is arresting is a criminal. The other 30% are gang members who don't have criminal histories."
He also said there's a difference between acting as a protester and a criminal interfering with ICE operations.
"You throw a stone, you're going to jail. You put hands on an ICE officer, you're going to jail. You make a threat, either online or in person, you're going to jail," Homan said.
"You cross that line and move from a protester to a criminal, zero tolerance. You will be prosecuted."
"You can protest all you want, exercise your First Amendment rights. You cross that line, you're going to jail."
Homan concluded by noting, "Over 1.5 million illegal aliens have left this country. And why have they left this country Because of President Trump and his policies. … We're showing the world there's consequences.".
"This is amazing, it's unprecedented and it's because of the leadership of this president."
An unprecedented immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia saw the detention of 475 individuals, unveiling a complex legal scenario entangled with the U.S. push for advancements in electric vehicle technology, Fox News reported.
The operation has propelled an intricate probe into labor practices linked with significant American construction projects.
Early this week, a substantial DHS intervention took place at a Hyundai factory under construction near Savannah, Georgia. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed the arrest of nearly half a thousand people, primarily hailing from South Korea.
The factory is a crux in the partnership between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, aimed at bolstering the U.S. capacities in electric vehicle (EV) production. Slated for battery production, this facility has been a beacon of industrial progression, as highlighted by numerous public figures.
Despite the arrests, Hyundai has been quick to clarify its position, stating that the detained individuals were not on its direct payroll but were instead employed by various subcontractors engaged at the site. The company reiterated its commitment to compliance with all applicable laws and workplace safety standards.
Construction activities at the site have been put on hold following the raid. Nevertheless, operations at a nearby existing EV manufacturing campus run by Hyundai remain unaffected, emphasizing the localized nature of the enforcement action.
In May 2022, during a notable visit to South Korea, former President Joe Biden praised the initiative, foreseeing it as a monumental contributor to the U.S. job market with the potential to create over 8,000 jobs. He accentuated the investment of approximately $5.5 billion into the new facility and its paramount role in pioneering advanced automotive technology.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has also been a staunch supporter of the project, previously highlighting its substantial impact on the state's economic impetus during a speech in February.
Biden further emphasized, "Our administration is setting ambitious standards to cut pollution in cars and trucks and boost fuel economy standards for those continuing to operate on gasoline."
The raid comes amidst the Trump administration's extensive crackdown on illegal labor practices across various sectors. This strategic focus included a recent intervention at a California cannabis farm where child labor was reportedly utilized, amassing widespread criticism and further examination of labor laws enforcement.
This specific enforcement action at the Hyundai site required a robust collaboration among multiple federal agencies and the Georgia State Patrol to address the complications associated with the case, described by a DHS spokesperson as "complex."
A social media video caught an officer declaring the immediate cessation of construction activities: "We need construction to cease immediately... We need all work to end on the site right now," an enforcement directive that underscores the immediacy and severity of the government's response.
The fallout from this raid stretches beyond the immediate legal implications, hinting at broader questions regarding the recruitment and employment of international labor in major U.S. industrial ventures.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on how such significant projects can balance rapid development needs with strict adherence to national immigration and labor laws, a challenge that might redefine future foreign collaborations in U.S. industries.
The unfolding events will likely influence not only the future of Hyundai's operations in Georgia but also the broader conversation around immigration, labor laws, and international cooperation in American industrial expansion.
During President Donald Trump's first term in the White House, he made massive inroads in the quest for American energy independence -- and dominance. Of course, former President Joe Biden's administration completely ruined that.
However, according to the Daily Caller, President Trump is once again making impressive strides in getting America back to an independent state as far as energy is concerned, and energy policy experts agree that he's winning huge.
Notably, data collected from the Energy Information Administration revealed that the United States hit a new record for domestic oil production over the summer.
The data revealed that the U.S. produced more oil in the month of June than ever before -- even more than any other country on Earth.
Energy policy experts told The Daily Caller that Trump's pro-energy agenda is paying off, and it's bringing the United States much closer to energy independence -- more so than ever before.
Travis Fisher, director of energy and environmental policy studies at the Cato Institute, was especially excited about the news.
"We should celebrate the ‘drill baby drill’ mantra because the record production we’re seeing now is a huge help to consumers," he said.
Fisher added, "In addition to obvious benefits like lower-cost gasoline for drivers, abundant oil production lowers the cost of everything by reducing transportation costs for virtually every product on the market."
The DC added:
American oil production has been on the rise, but several energy experts noted that the thriving and record-setting supply of oil demonstrates the importance of Trump’s American energy dominance agenda.
Trisha Curtis, a macroeconomist with expertise in U.S. shale markets and an economist for the American Energy Institute, also explained the data and how important it is is continue down that path.
She insisted that Trump's energy policies -- and results -- are vital to national security.
“The U.S. is producing 13.6 million barrels per day, more than any nation on earth, ever. The importance of this production to the economy as well as energy security and national security is profound," she said.
Curtis added, "The U.S. is now not only the largest oil and natural gas producer in the world, but it is the largest crude and product exporter in the world, enabling greater U.S. and global energy security. The next two largest producers in the world, Russia and Saudi Arabia, are both producing around 10 million barrels per day by comparison."
It's exciting to know that Trump is bringing this great nation back to a state of energy independence, which we will all benefit from.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Institute for Justice has announced it is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court to try to overturn a local fine in Alaska of $95,000 over a banned six-pack of beer.
"The Excessive Fines Clause of the constitution was built for cases like this," said Sam Gedge, a senior attorney at the IJ. "As government agencies increasingly exploit fines and forfeitures to pad their budgets, it's vital that the Supreme Court make clear that the Excessive Fines Clause is a meaningful check on government overreach."
The penalty is coming against pilot Ken Jouppi, who had ferried passengers, groceries and more around the state for years.
On April 3, 2012, "he was ferrying a passenger and her groceries from Fairbanks to the village of Beaver," the IJ said. "But hidden in the passenger's luggage were three cases of beer—two Budweiser, one Bud Light—intended as a gift to her husband, the local postmaster."
The problem was that Beaver, in 2004, voted to ban alcohol entirely.
Before Ken could take off, state troopers searched the plane and discovered the beer. Ken was charged with a misdemeanor and convicted, the IJ said.
Then the state launched a full-blown war against him.
For years, prosecutors have also been trying to forfeit his airplane, a Cessna U206D, worth about $95,000, and just weeks ago, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that even had Ken known only about one six-pack of his passenger's beer, his argument that the fine was excessive failed.
"The Alaska Supreme Court's ruling puts it at odds with other courts around the country. Most notably, in Timbs v. Indiana—a case litigated by the Institute for Justice—the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 held the Excessive Fines Clause applies, not just to the federal government, but to states as well," the IJ said.
That fight was over the state-demanded forfeiture of a $40,000 Land Rover over a low-level drug offense, a scheme that was found by the Supreme Court to be unconstitutionally excessive.
"This case isn't just about me or my airplane anymore," Ken said in a statement released by his lawyers. "I'm in my 80s now, and I've been fighting this for over a decade because I see it as my duty to ensure that the Bill of Rights actually means something in protecting against government overreach."
The National Rifle Association disagrees with President Donald Trump's Department of Justice in its push to prohibit gender-confused individuals from owning guns following the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last week, the Washington Examiner reported. The gun rights group made it clear that it objects to any limits on the Second Amendment without exception.
The NRA has been supportive of Trump and his agenda, but it is drawing a line in the sand as the DOJ seeks to disarm disturbed individuals like the cross-dressing man who shot schoolchildren during Mass on Aug. 27. "“The NRA supports the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans to purchase, possess, and use firearms," the NRA said in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
"NRA does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process. The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate," the organization concluded.
The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate. pic.twitter.com/AQwouV4VDd
— NRA (@NRA) September 5, 2025
The Trump administration is considering restricting gun ownership for transgender individuals "to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell," one official told the press. The question comes on the heels of a fifth case of a transgender or nonbinary individual committing mass violence against schoolchildren in as many years.
This has opened the door to discussion about taking guns from people who are, by definition, mentally disturbed. "The DOJ is actively evaluating options to prevent the pattern of violence we have seen from individuals with specific mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders," a spokesperson for the Justice Department told the Washington Examiner.
However, Second Amendment advocacy groups are objecting to this as they believe that any excuse to ban guns could eventually result in all Americans losing their rights. Another gun-rights group, Gun Owners of America, is similarly committed to protecting gun rights for everyone, regardless of their mental health status or gender confusion.
"GOA opposes any & all gun bans. Full stop," the group posted to X on Thursday.
Other criticisms of a potential ban cite an unfair prejudice against a minority group, with transgender individuals especially feeling that they have been targeted under Trump. While it's admirable that these groups are concerned about Constitutional rights, there seems to be a growing problem with gender confused shooters.
The New York Times claims that the right is ginning up this ire against transgender people by pointing out the fact that the Assumption Catholic Church shooter, who changed his name from Robert Westman to Robin Westman, struggled with his gender and self-hatred. "I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brainwashed myself," Westman wrote.
The Times pointed out that this line was something conservatives "focused on" too much, as Westman seemed at other times content to indulge in his fantasy of being a girl even amid the uncertainty. "I don’t know if I am a trans girl. It is undeniable that I like how I look in girl clothes. I like thinking about being a girl," he added.
Nashville's Covenant Christian School similarly struggled with her biological reality while claiming to be a man. Although authorities fought legal battles to cover up these inconvenient facts about the shooter, it's clear that the deep-seated conflict about the most fundamental aspect of identity is a red flag that signals how disturbed the person is.
However, activists who fight for transgender rights insist this disorder has nothing to do with the violence and is instead an excuse to target these individuals. "To scapegoat an entire marginalized community in a moment of such intense national grief is wrong, dangerous, and dehumanizing," Human Rights Campaign spokesman Brandon Wolf said.
There's nothing wrong with using this evidence of disordered behavior and mental disturbance to identify people who are a threat to themselves or others. It's understandable that some believe the Second Amendment is sacrosanct, but there may be arguments to be made that some individuals deserve more scrutiny than others when it comes to their right to keep and bear arms.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday returning the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, Breitbart reported. The president had previously hinted at this move, which would restore the original name for the agency to convey more about the mission.
Trump had signaled this could happen in earlier discussions and had referred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as his "secretary of war." The new order directs Hegseth to make the necessary moves to make the name change permanent through not only the executive office, but also the legislative process as needed.
It will also apply the change to signage, letterhead, and other public mentions of what will now be the U.S. Department of War. One of those changes includes a briefing room becoming the "Pentagon War Annex" over its previously defanged "public affairs briefing room."
The move is meant to restore both the name and the original purpose of the agency, as Trump explained in remarks in August. "Everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was the Department of War. Then we changed it to Department of Defense," Trump noted.
Hegseth hinted at the change in a recent Fox & Friends interview on Fox News, explaining that it's a mindset shift as much as it is a renaming. "We won WWI, and we won WWII, not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department, with the Department of War," Hegseth said.
"As the president has said, we’re not just defense, we’re offense. We’ve reestablished at the Department the warrior ethos. We want warriors, folks that understand how to exact lethality on the enemy," Hegseth continued.
"We don’t want endless contingencies and just playing defense. We think words and names and titles matter. So, we’re working with the White House and the president on it. Stand by," he promised last week.
The Department of War existed until 1949, when changes were made in response to the National Security Act of 1947, which changed the agency's moniker to the more vague and non-threatening Department of Defense. It remains to be seen whether Trump will need congressional approval for the name change, but the president believes he has the authority to make it happen.
"We're just going to do it. I'm sure Congress will go along if we need that. I don't think we even need that," Trump said on Aug. 25.
After much speculation and several hints from the administration, Trump signed off on the order, which is his 200th since taking office. The move was celebrated by several conservatives, including Turning Point CEO Charlie Kirk, who shared video of the historic moment on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
"For his 200th official executive action as 47, President Trump officially restores the original name 'Department of War' to the Department of Defense. Pete Hegseth will now be referred to as the Secretary of War," Kirk captioned the post.
🚨 For his 200th official executive action as 47, President Trump officially restores the original name "Department of War" to the Department of Defense.
Pete Hegseth will now be referred to as the Secretary of War 🔥 pic.twitter.com/l6E3soEN9v
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 5, 2025
While the left will likely attempt to trivialize this, the renaming is in line with Trump's effort to return America and its institutions to prominence. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order Restoring Names That Honor America's Greatness to "promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes."
Trump's latest move sends the message that the U.S. will once again celebrate its history and legacy of great strength in war. The president is right that the offensive stance is vital to retain not only in the new name for the Department of Defense, but also in its mission if the U.S. hopes to remain a world superpower.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday that the previous administration of Joe Biden manipulated abortion pill safety data, resulting in an apparent 22 times higher risk for serious complications than had been reported.
During questioning by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) on the Trump administration's health care agenda, the ongoing safety review of mifepristone, the first drug in a two-drug abortion regimen used by most women who seek abortions, was addressed.
In April, a study was released that showed nearly 11%, or one in nine women who take mifepristone, have a complication serious enough to seek emergency medical care.
Those complications included sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, and other adverse events occurring within 45 days following the abortion.
Lankford pointed out that since Biden loosened the restrictions on abortion pills in the wake of Roe V. Wade's overturning, "there’s all kinds of issues that are happening now on it."
The abortion drugs are now available without a prescription to make them easier to get, except when state laws prohibit them.
“So the question was: you’d said that there would be a review on that, just to be able to look at it, to make sure we’re following all safety protocols. Do you know a timing on that review?” Lankford asked.
Kennedy said the review was “progressing apace," according to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.
“We’re getting data in all the time, new data that we’re reviewing. And we know that during the Biden administration, they actually twisted the data to bury one of the safety signals with a very high safety signal around 11 percent,” Kennedy Jr. alleged, referring to the April study. “So we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen anymore. We’re producing honest science and gold standard science on that. I’ll keep you abreast of where we are.”
The new study looked at more than 865,000 pill abortions that used mifepristone and were done between 2017 and 2023.
Kennedy called the study results "alarming" when he was questioned about them in May.
The use of abortion drugs has increased dramatically in recent years. Back in 2017, 39% of all abortions were done with medication, but in 2023, the most recent year data was available, 63% of abortions were done with medication.
That doesn't even account for abortions outside the U.S., or in cases where the pills were obtained through underground networks in states where they are banned.
Mifepristone works by blocking the action of progesterone, which causes the unborn child to die of starvation inside the womb. The second drug, misoprostol, then causes contractions so that the unborn child is expelled.
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a federal ban on transgender individuals owning guns -- sparking backlash from gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association.
The controversial proposal comes after a series of mass shootings perpetrated by transgender individuals, including the recent massacre at a Minnesota Catholic school where two children were murdered.
Some inside the administration see the proposal as a way to squeeze Democrats, who have spent years calling for "common sense" gun control.
Many Democrats already support red flag laws that allow guns to be taken from unstable individuals without due process, but it is doubtful that they would support treating gender dysphoria like a dangerous illness.
"Democrats have called for common sense gun laws for a long time -- this seems pretty common sense to me,” a Justice Department source told Breitbart News.
While once widely viewed as a mental disorder, gender dysphoria has largely been normalized in recent years, with a shift towards social "affirmation" and medical intervention.
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis has reopened a debate about dysphoria and how it should be treated, with some arguing there is a pattern of transgender people disproportionately committing gun violence.
Robin Westman, the man behind the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church, expressed remorse about transitioning in his twisted manifesto.
Leftist trans advocates insist that there is no link between transgenderism and gun violence, citing data that shows trans individuals commit a small number out of hundreds of mass shootings each year.
But some say this approach uses too broad a definition of the term "mass shooting," which most people associate with premeditated acts of violence meant to inflict maximum suffering on innocents - even children. These atrocities are relatively rare, but trans people have been linked with several of them in recent years, despite comprising a small percentage of the population.
The massacre in Minneapolis was eerily similar to one in Nashville two years ago, where a woman, identifying as a male, murdered three Christian schoolchildren and three adults.
While some argue that Trump's hypothetical ban is long overdue, it is certain to face stiff constitutional challenges and has already met backlash from gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association (NRA.)
“The NRA supports the Second Amendment rights of all law abiding Americans to purchase, possess and use firearms,” the organization said. "NRA does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process.”
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The illegal alien a Wisconsin judge is charged with helping try to flee ICE agents wanting to arrest him, now has pleaded guilty.
A report in the Washington Examiner confirms that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was accused of re-entering the United States illegally after already being deported.
He is facing a sentence of up to two years in prison in a deportation agreement with prosecutors.
The Examiner noted he entered the U.S. illegally in 2013, but was deported. Then he returned, and found himself in court because of allegations of domestic battery.
Hannah Dugan was the judge in that case, and now is facing a trial for allegedly helping him try to flee ICE agents waiting at the courthouse to arrest him.,
Dugan "allegedly told him, 'Wait, come with me,' before showing him to a special courtroom door after immigration officials showed up to arrest him," the report said.
Dugan insisted that her actions to help a criminal illegal alien were protected by absolute immunity.
She is facing a trial Dec. 15 and could spent six years in prison if convicted.
A commentary at Twitchy snarkily was headlined, "No One Is Above the Law …"
ABC reported, "Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan's trial on federal charges alleging she tried to help an undocumented immigrant evade arrest has been set for Dec. 15. Jury selection will be on Dec. 11 and 12, Judge Lynn Adelman determined during a scheduling hearing on Wednesday."
Dugan has claimed she didn't do anything wrong, and unsuccessfully argued in court that she holds judicial immunity for anything she does in the courthouse.
WND reported when Adelman had adopted a recommendation from U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph that Dugan's motion to dismiss the criminal case against her because of "immunity" should be denied.
"There is no basis for granting immunity simply because some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could be considered 'part of a judge's job.' As the magistrate judge noted, the same is true in the bribery prosecutions, concededly valid, where the judges were prosecuted for performing official acts intertwined with bribery," the judge said.
"Even if a more limited version of judicial immunity exists, it does not support dismissal of the instant indictment."
Dugan was on video instructing ICE agents to go elsewhere, then she allowed Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien before her court on charges of attacking other people, out a private back door of her courtroom, leading to a nonpublic area of the courthouse.
Constitutional expert Jonathan Turley pointed out that Dugan has a "lack of a credible defense."
"Indeed, despite having high-powered lawyers such as Paul Clement, her recent social media posts seem more like a pitch for jury nullification."
He noted the criminal complaint explains "a six-person arrest team (including an ICE officer, a Customs and Border Protection officer, two FBI special agents, and two DEA agents) came to the courthouse to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican immigrant facing three misdemeanor battery counts they intended to deport. He is accused of hitting someone 30 times during a fight that erupted over complaints that his music was too loud and assaulting three separate individuals, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported."
Flores-Ruiz had been deported previously and came back illegally again, a felony, so he was issued an order for expedited removal, which means he could be deported with no further court hearings.
Dugan facilitated his escape, then was arrested and charged with obstruction.
"Recently, Dugan went public with an interview that notably lacked any discernible defense, other than stating that she helps defendants use the 'backdoor' when she considers circumstances that 'warrant it,'" the report said.
Turley explained, "The lack of any cognizable claim in Dugan's public pitch suggests that she might be hoping for a juror to simply vote to acquit as a visceral or political statement. This is a liberal jury pool where jury nullification must be a concern for prosecutors even though such an argument cannot be made overtly by the defense to the jurors."
Reports confirm Dugan was "visibly angry" when informed of the ICE officers present.
WND has reported a grand jury accused Dugan of knowingly concealing a person for whose arrest a warrant and process had been issued, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1071. She is charged in Count Two with obstruction of the United States Department of Homeland Security's removal proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505.
President Donald Trump is defending Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after a contentious Senate hearing where he was pressured to resign by Democrats and even faced criticism from some Republicans over his leadership at the Health and Human Services Department.
Thursday's Senate hearing of the Finance Committee was guaranteed to be explosive after Kennedy fired the director of the CDC, Susan Monarez, who accused Kennedy in an op-ed of pressuring her to rubber-stamp anti-vaccine policies, a charge Kennedy rejected by calling her a liar.
As expected, Democrats painted Kennedy as a menace to public health, accusing him of undermining access to vaccines for deadly diseases and putting children in danger.
"I don't see any evidence that you have any regrets about anything you've done or plans to change it," said ranking member Ron Wyden (D-OR). "And my last comment is, I hope that you will tell the American people how many preventable child deaths are an acceptable sacrifice for enacting an agenda that I think is fundamentally cruel and defies common sense."
Kennedy was defiant throughout, blasting his critics as liars and shills for big pharmaceutical companies.
While it was no surprise to see Democrats dogpile Kennedy, he also faced scrutiny from a handful of Republicans who expressed concern about the extent of his plans to shake up public health policy, particularly on vaccines.
“In your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines,” said Republican Sen. John Barrasso (WY) “Since then, I’ve grown deeply concerned.”
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA), who was a key vote to confirm Kennedy to his role, accused Kennedy of "effectively" taking away COVID vaccines, which had been available on a walk-in basis at most pharmacies.
Kennedy insisted that anyone who wants a COVID shot can still get one despite new FDA rules that may require healthy people under 65 to get a doctor's prescription first. The insurance landscape is also unclear because insurance companies follow the recommendations of an influential CDC panel whose members Kennedy purged and replaced, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
During a shouting match with Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kennedy said he does not "anticipate" any changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine at ACIP's upcoming meeting. Kennedy said he agrees with an ACIP official he handpicked who called the COVID mRNA shots dangerous, especially for young people.
"Senator -- senator -- are you saying the mRNA vaccine has never been associated with myocarditis or pericarditis?" Kennedy asked Bennet.
While casting doubt on the safety of the COVID shots, Kennedy agreed that Trump should get the Nobel Prize for developing them through Operation Warp Speed. Trump's role in developing the shots has long been controversial with his own base, and the president recently called on Big Pharma to "justify" the success of COVID drugs.
When asked about Kennedy's combative performance, Trump said he did not watch it, but he appreciates that Kennedy is "different."
"He means very well. And he's got some little different ideas. I guarantee a lot of the people at this table like RFK Jr., and I do, but he's got a different take, and we want to listen to all of those takes," the president said.
"But I heard he did very well today," Trump added. "It's not your standard talk. I would say that, and that has to do with medical and vaccines. But if you look at what's going on in the world with health and look at this country also with regard to health, I like the fact that he's different."