Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who was thought to be open to voting for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, now says the nominee is in serious trouble after his rocky confirmation hearing.

Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), who had said he was open to hearing out Robert F. Kennedy Jr., expressed more doubts about the Health and Human Services nominee after his first confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee.

For the first time in modern American history, a skeptic of medical research could be responsible for safeguarding public health.

Senate Democrats on Wednesday grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President’s Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, during a contentious confirmation hearing, hitting the former

Senators pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his past vaccine and abortion remarks in the first of two days of hearings before senators vote on whether to confirm him as President Trump’s health secretary.

To be confirmed as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats are united in their opposition to him.

The health committee chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also has expressed concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine work. A physician, Cassidy said earlier this month he “had a frank conversation” and “spoke about vaccines at length” with Kennedy. On Tuesday, Cassidy told reporters that he is still unsure if he is backing Trump’s nominee.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced about 3.5 hours of questioning on topics including his past comments on vaccines and abortion during the first of his two confirmation hearings.

The longtime liberal faces deep skepticism over his public health views. “Frankly, you frighten people,” one Democratic senator told his former roommate.