Conservative Republicans seem to be embracing health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. out of loyalty to President Donald Trump.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.

Kennedy also said gender-affirming care for children has "catastrophic" impacts and that children are not equipped to make judgments about receiving such care. He said he would re