Pence says he opposes RFK Jr.’s nomination for HHS secretary because of his stance on abortion

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday made his opposition to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unequivocal. 

“The Trump-Pence administration was unapologetically pro-life for our four years in office. There are hundreds of decisions made at HHS every day that either lead our nation toward a respect for life or away from it, and HHS under our administration always stood for life,” Pence said in a lengthy statement on the website for his Advancing American Freedom nonprofit Friday. 

“I believe the nomination of RFK Jr. to serve as Secretary of HHS is an abrupt departure from the pro-life record of our administration and should be deeply concerning to millions of Pro-Life Americans who have supported the Republican Party and our nominees for decades.”

Pence claimed Kennedy has “defended abortion on demand during all nine months of pregnancy” for the majority of his career and supports overturning the Dobbs decision and codifying Roe v. Wade. 

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Former Vice President Mike Pence said he opposes Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.  (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

“If confirmed, RFK, Jr. would be the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history,” Pence wrote. 

President-elect Trump on Thursday announced he was nominating Kennedy to head the agency as he had said he would during the campaign. 

“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump said in his announcement. 

President-elect Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead HHS this week.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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Kennedy was frequently seen with Trump in the last couple of months of the campaign after he dropped his independent bid for the White House and endorsed the Republican nominee. 

Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president during Trump’s first term, didn’t run with him again in 2024 and declined to endorse Trump. 

Kennedy has flip-flopped on abortion. In May, he said a woman should be able to have an abortion when she’s full term, which he later walked back, saying there should be restrictions at some point in the pregnancy. And last year he said he supported a 15-week ban on abortion before his campaign said he misspoke. 

Pence served as President-elect Trump’s vice president during Trump’s first term.  (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

On his campaign website, he said he would support legislation to overturn the Dobbs decision, according to The Hill. 

Last month, Trump said he would veto any attempt at a national abortion ban, saying it’s an issue for the states. 

Liberals are also concerned about Kennedy’s nomination due to his controversial stances on vaccines, fluoride in water and other issues. 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Kennedy for comment.