WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came under withering attack from Democratic senators on Wednesday over his history of promoting vaccine misinformation and his sudden embrace of anti-abortion policies during a high-stakes confirmation hearing to become President Donald Trump’s health secretary.

The 71-year-old Kennedy scion and former environmental lawyer is vying to lead a department overseeing more than 80,000 employees and a $1.7 trillion budget, just as scientists warn of the growing threat of bird flu triggering a human pandemic.

Critics argue he is dangerously unqualified, citing his promotion of debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to autism, his suggestion that HIV does not cause AIDS, and accusations that he stoked anti-measles vaccine sentiment in Samoa during a 2019 visit, months before a deadly outbreak.

They also point to what they call a glaring conflict of interest: lucrative consulting fees from law firms suing pharmaceutical companies, as disclosed in his financial filings.

Democrats accuses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of hypocrisy over his sudden reversal on abortion.

Kennedy pushed back against the criticism in his opening statement, insisting, “News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine and anti-industry -- I am neither. I am pro-safety.”

But he appeared flustered as Democrats took turns confronting him with past statements that contradicted his claims, while also accusing him of hypocrisy over his sudden reversal on abortion.

“I asked Mr. Kennedy to reconcile his many anti-vaccine statements with his handful of pro-vaccine statements,” said Democratic Senator Ron Wyden. “Instead, he gave us a word salad and ducked the issue.”

Senators are set to continue questioning Kennedy on Thursday.