Updated September 5, 2025 at 11:23 AM PDT

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced fierce questioning from members of both parties during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Thursday, including sharp criticism from Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, who called him a "charlatan."

Cantwell criticized Kennedy's decision to cancel hundreds of millions in research funding for future mRNA vaccines, saying the research was needed for future pandemic preparedness.

Kennedy responded to Cantwell saying "I'm happy to have a detailed discussion with you about it. You're so wrong on your facts."

But even Republicans took Kennedy to task for the defunding of mRNA vaccine research. Kennedy has come under intense scrutiny from Democrats and the medical science community for actions

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