Trump 2nd term updates: Trump attends the Super Bowl

Ahead of RFK Jr.'s confirmation vote Tuesday, President Donald Trump extended his continued support for his pick to run the Health and Human Services office.

"20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000. NOW IT'S 1 in 34. WOW! Something's really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You! DJT," Trump wrote on his social media platform.

During Kennedy's confirmation hearings, he repeatedly refused to say that vaccines were not linked to autism, while insisting that he supported vaccines.

Sen. Bill Cassidy R-La., in a post on X, said he would support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary.

"I've had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning. I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments I've received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes," he posted.

Cassidy, a physician who is up for re-election next year, was a closely watched senator on the Senate Finance Committee as he vocally questioned Kenendy's anti-vaccination stances.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., announced Tuesday that he would not support Robert Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to lead the U.S. Health and Human Services office.

"Mr. Kennedy has not come remotely close to providing adequate assurances that he will follow the well-established science on vaccines, nor remedy the ways CMS hurts Rhode Island, so I cannot support his nomination," Whitehouse, a long-time friend of Kennedy, said in a statement.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt promised that President Donald Trump’s phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping about tariffs is being scheduled and will “happen very soon.” However, she did not provide updates on timing.

“The president made it very clear with the 10% tariff on China that he is not going to allow China to continue to source and distribute deadly fentanyl into our country,” she told reporters Tuesday morning, emphasizing that it is a "retaliatory tariff on China."

Leavitt added that the White House would attempt to make U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff available to the press, telling reporters, "I think you’ll be hearing from him out here today."

“She also expressed confidence ahead of RFK Jr.'s confirmation vote scheduled Tuesday to become Health and Human Services Secretary. "There's tens of millions of Americans who are hopeful that RFK Jr will be the next HHS secretary, and we expect all Senate Republicans to stand tough and strong and vote for him," she said.