Luján humiliates himself during RFK, Jr. confirmation hearing

In a trainwreck of a question and answer session during the confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), found himself stumbling through a misguided line of questioning that once again showcased his lack of understanding of federal departments and legislative authority. The hearing, which took place before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, saw Luján trying and failing to corner Kennedy on Medicaid policy, only to be corrected in real-time by the nominee himself.

Luján, a senator who has made a habit of attempting — and failing — to stump Trump officials on issues outside of their purview, asked Kennedy whether he would cut Medicaid if President Trump requested it. Keeping his composure, Kennedy responded by pointing out the obvious: “Oh, it’s not up to me to cut Medicaid. It would be up to Congress.” The blunt correction left Luján momentarily flustered before he attempted to brush past his embarrassing blunder with an awkward laugh and a hasty retreat: “Mr. Kennedy, you don’t want to answer? I’ll move on.” But the damage was done, and his credibility took yet another hit.

This isn’t the first time Luján has exposed his lack of knowledge of Medicaid and its oversight. In a previous hearing, he tried to corner Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with a similar question about the federal healthcare program, only to be reminded that Medicaid falls under the jurisdiction of Congress—not the Treasury Department. Rather than learning from his mistake, Luján appears to have doubled down on his ignorance, now directing his confusion at the incoming HHS secretary, whose role in Medicaid funding decisions is also limited.

Kennedy’s confirmation hearing was already bound to be contentious, given his independent streak and willingness to challenge establishment narratives on public health policy. Democrats, desperate to discredit him, have tried everything from smearing his record to attempting to trip him up with irrelevant gotcha questions. However, Luján’s fumbling performance only served to highlight the unserious nature of Democrat opposition to Kennedy’s appointment. Rather than engaging in substantive debate about Kennedy’s policies, Luján resorted to ill-prepared theatrics that only embarrassed himself.

Sen. Luján’s political career has long been propped up by nepotism rather than merit. The son of former New Mexico House Speaker Ben Luján, he has ridden his father’s political coattails his entire career. Rather than earning his way through legislative accomplishment or deep policy knowledge, Luján has consistently relied on the family name to ascend through the ranks of New Mexico’s Democrat machine. His latest misstep before the entire Senate further proves that he is in way over his head.

As Kennedy’s nomination moves forward, it remains clear that the Biden/Harris-era Democrat Party has little substance to offer in their opposition. Instead, they continue to flail through hearings, desperately searching for a moment to damage Trump’s picks but only succeeding in humiliating themselves. Sen. Luján’s latest faceplant is just another example of the intellectual bankruptcy plaguing Washington Democrats as they desperately cling to power in the face of Trump’s decisive leadership.