Senate Confirms RFK Jr. as Health Secretary; Trump to Announce Reciprocal Tariffs

The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday as the nation’s top health official. Kennedy will lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees several high-profile agencies, including the FDA and the CDC. Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to head the FBI, Kash Patel, won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee, clearing the way for a Senate confirmation vote.

President Donald Trump said he’s announcing increases in U.S. tariffs to match the duties that other countries charge on American imports. The president will hold a news conference in the Oval Office on the tariffs at 1 p.m. ET.

Trump’s choice to run the Department of Education, Linda McMahon, faced a Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. She vowed to preserve core initiatives including Title I money for low-income schools, Pell grants for low-income college students, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Topics in this episode include:

1. Senate Confirms RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary
2. Senate Panel Advances Kash Patel’s Nomination
3. German Chancellor: 28 Injured After Car Attack by Refugee
4. JD Vance in Munich to Attend Security Conference
5. Australia Defends Aluminum Exports Amid Tariff Debate
6. Australia Blames China for Air Dispute Over South China Sea
7. EU, Kyiv Won’t Accept Truce Without Their Involvement
8. Hamas Says They Plan to Release 3 Hostages as Scheduled
9. Musk Says He Will Withdraw OpenAI Bid if It Stays Nonprofit
10. Judge Lifts Block on Trump’s Federal Buyout Plan
11. DOJ Sues New York Over ‘Sanctuary’ Laws
12. Winter Storms Bring Cross-Country Rain, Snow, Ice
13. Rainstorm Threatens Los Angeles Burn Scar Areas
14. Hegseth Speaks After NATO Defense Ministers Meeting

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