What is RFK doing for the health of Americans?

Americast

BBC

Politics, Government, News

4.2 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Testifying in front of Congress is often a bruising process for lawmakers, and Wednesday’s hearing was no exception for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who faced questions on cuts to his department, his stance on vaccines and a measles outbreak in the United States.

But with Donald Trump’s second term in full swing, just how far has the former presidential candidate got in his quest to ‘Make America Healthy Again?’

Justin and Marianna chat with Sheryl Gay Stolberg who covers health policy for the New York Times to find out how he’s trying to transform America’s health and why not everyone thinks he’s succeeding.

HOSTS:

- Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter - Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent

GUEST:

- Sheryl Gay Stolberg, correspondent based in Washington covering health policy for The New York Times.

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This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.
0:04.9	One of Donald Trump's most controversial cabinet picks faced a grilling yesterday.
0:09.4	RFK, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was testifying for the first time in Congress since he became Health Secretary.
0:17.1	The budget I'm presenting today supports these goals and reflects.
0:20.6	Thank you, Mr. President! The budget I'm presenting today supports these goals and reflects. The witness will suspend. The committee will come to order. Capital police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room. Members of the
0:39.5	audience are reminded disruptions will not be tolerated. Yeah, wherever he goes, demonstrators
0:50.3	tend to go to, and he was defending things that have upset a lot of people, big cuts to
0:56.7	health research funding, the overhaul of federal health agencies, mass layoffs, his position
1:02.5	on vaccines, of course, and individual health programs as well. So our question today,
1:07.5	what direction is he actually taking yet? Can we yet tell whether RFK really is going to make
1:14.6	America healthy again? Welcome to AmeriCast. Americaast from BBC News. You're gambling with
1:24.2	the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III.
1:28.2	President Trump's message is very simple.
1:30.2	We are done being taken advantage of.
1:32.1	Mr. President, in the name of our God, have mercy upon the people.
1:36.4	We're scared now.
1:37.6	Are you supportive of these onesies?
1:39.6	I'm supportive of vaccines.
1:41.2	What is happening?
1:42.3	Like, this is not America.
1:44.1	This is a terrible nightmare.
1:45.5	This is what victory feels like.
	...

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