Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., asked Kennedy if he would take action to review the regulatory actions behind the abortion drug mifepristone.

Mifepristone is an oral drug typically used in combination with another drug, misoprostol, to induce an abortion or to help manage an early miscarriage.

The medication works by blocking progesterone, a hormone that the body needs to continue a pregnancy. The Food and Drug Administration said it is safe to use as indicated and directed.

Daines expressed concern that mifepristone labeling lists emergency room visits as a possible complication. ER visits are not always considered a serious adverse event by health care professionals.

Kennedy said Trump has asked him to study the safety of mifepristone and that the president has not taken a stance on how to regulate the medication.

"Whatever he does, I will implement those policies and I will work with this committee to make those policies make sense," he said.

Sen. Maggie Hassan brought up previous comments Kennedy made as recently as 2023 where he expressed support for women's right to reproductive rights, which conflicts with his latest stance that "every abortion is a tragedy."

The New Hampshire Democrat pressed Kennedy on why he made this change so quickly.

"I agree with President Trump. Every abortion is a tragedy," Kennedy answered repeatedly.

"What you're telling is regardless of what you believe … if President Trump tells you do something you’re going to do it," Hassan said.

"What you're telling us is, if President Trump orders you to take action to make it harder for women to get dire, needed health care, you'll follow his order," she added.

Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse slammed Kennedy for what he called his anti-vaccine views and past statements citing rising measles cases.

"Frankly, you frighten people," the Rhode Island senator, who has been a long-time friend of the nominee, said.

Whitehouse stressed that Americans need to hear Kennedy's promise to say that never say vaccines aren't medically safe and that he supports mandatory vaccines "against diseases where that will keep people safe."

"You're in that hole pretty deep," the senator said.

Kennedy did not respond to those requests.

Kennedy said he would support President Donald Trump's position on Title X.

Title X is a federal family planning program that provides services including pregnancy prevention, pregnancy testing, infertility services and other preconception services to low-income and uninsured people.

During his first term, Trump implemented a rule barring health care providers within the Title X network from offering referrals for abortion care to patients. This was reversed by the Biden administration.

Kennedy said he agreed with Trump's views on the program and on abortion, including believing laws regulating the procedure should be left up to the states.

"I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy. I agree we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions," Kennedy said.