MAHA v. the establishment

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

President Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to helm the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the crowning achievement of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, symbolizing its unity with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

Due in part to Kennedy’s longtime status as a member in good standing of the Democratic Party’s most successful political dynasty, he has surprisingly strong connections with leading Senate Democrats, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.), who attended law school with him.

Kennedy joins other disruptors who Trump wants in his administration, including Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard — who, like Kennedy, was a longtime Democrat in good standing. In many ways Trump’s cabinet picks are anti-establishment.

“President Trump is the ultimate D.C. disruptor,” a source close to the president told this outlet “He wants his cabinet to be loyal, effective, and bring disruption to the Washington status quo.” However, his most potentially disruptive picks have also irked some of Trump’s fellow Republicans in the Senate, even as he has picked up legions of support from MAHA-aligned influencers online; during his confirmation hearing, Megyn Kelly sat near him in support.

Enter former Vice President Mike Pence. Pence is coming off a failed presidential run, where he had to drop out due to his lack of financial and grassroots support. Now, he is launching a campaign to oppose President Trump’s nominee for HHS Secretary.

Pence’s opposition to Kennedy is grounded in Kennedy’s record of being firmly pro-choice; Pence’s group, Advancing American Freedom, is using Trump’s previous criticisms of RFK to argue that the Senate should oppose Kennedy. Prior to Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump, the 45th and 47th president argued that he was a “Democrat plant” and a “radical liberal.” However, since then Trump and Kennedy have formed a strong relationship, as Kennedy joined Trump on the campaign trail not only endorsing him, but taking his name off the ballot, a move that ultimately helped Trump in key swing states. Joining Pence’s opposition is Leonard Leo, the head of CRC Advisors, and former Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society. Leo previously helped advise President Trump on judicial picks during his first term, but sources tell this outlet he is on the outs with the Trump world. Many pro-Trump and pro-Kennedy forces have criticized both Pence and Leo.

One Republican Strategist tells this outlet, “This whole episode shows that Leonard Leo and his operation remain detached from the reality of today’s Republican Party. Maybe it’s his sour grapes from being pushed aside by the President’s team or maybe it’s just his blind willingness to sell out for a quick buck but it takes a certain degree of chutzpah to openly undercut President Trump’s agenda.” Mike Davis, one of Trump’s top outside allies, criticized Pence and Leo for their attempt to stop Kennedy. Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s former running mate, also criticized Pence’s group.

Despite Kennedy’s longtime support for abortion, some pro-life doctors are arguing that there is a roadmap for pro-life senators to back him to run HHS, which deals heavily with abortion policies in America. The heads of the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNS and of Americans United for Life argued in a piece about how Kennedy can “shore up support and save women” by reversing COVID-era regulations that loosened the rules around abortion pill prescriptions.

“Known for challenging regulatory failures, Kennedy could reinstate REMS for abortion pills and enact further requirements ensuring the collection of accurate safety data on these drugs, prioritizing women’s health over ideological agendas,” Dr. Christina Francis and John Mize wrote.

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