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RFK Jr. Shocks Washington by Applauding Bernie Sanders for Trump’s Drug Price Crackdown — But Is It Real Bipartisanship or Political Theater?
In a surprising turn during one of the most heated battles in American health policy, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
publicly credited none other than his longtime political rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, for influencing President Donald Trump’s latest move to lower prescription drug costs.
At a high-stakes White House press conference on May 12, where President Trump unveiled an executive order aimed at slashing medication prices by benchmarking them against rates in other wealthy nations, Kennedy took a moment to recognize Sanders — a progressive firebrand who has often clashed with both Trump and Kennedy in the past.
“This was a cornerstone of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns,” Kennedy said. “He consistently challenged the pharmaceutical industry and called for closing the outrageous price gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world.”
Praise or Political Strategy?
The unexpected kudos left many wondering whether this was a rare sign of bipartisan alignment — or a cleverly timed political maneuver.
While Sanders acknowledged the dire need to address rising drug prices, he didn’t hold back in criticizing the executive order as more of a symbolic gesture than real reform.
“If this administration is serious,” Sanders said, “they’ll push for meaningful legislation instead of issuing orders that are likely to be struck down in court.”
Others in the Democratic Party were quick to shift focus to the groundwork already laid by the Biden administration. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, emphasized the real impact of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, passed under President Joe Biden. That law gave Medicare the power — albeit limited — to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies.
What’s Actually Happening with Drug Costs?
Under Biden’s reforms, negotiations are already underway. Medicare has begun working on pricing for 10 heavily prescribed drugs, including blood thinners and medications for diabetes, with price reductions scheduled to kick in by 2026. A second wave targeting 15 more drugs — including Ozempic and Wegovy — is in motion, with cost savings anticipated by 2027.
Still, a 2024 report from the Department of Health and Human Services paints a sobering picture: Americans are paying nearly triple what residents of 33 other high-income nations pay for the same drugs. With roughly 67 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, the urgency is impossible to ignore.
Trump’s Move: Disruptive or Duplicative?
The Trump administration’s new executive order intends to link Medicare drug prices to the lowest costs available internationally, a policy once proposed but never fully implemented during his first term. It’s a move that many experts say echoes Sanders’ vision — but without the structural support of legislation behind it.
At the May 12 briefing, Kennedy praised Trump for “standing up to the oligarchs,” claiming that both he and Sanders have long battled the pharmaceutical industry’s grip on pricing.
Yet critics warn that executive orders alone won’t be enough to overhaul a deeply entrenched system.
Sanders Keeps the Pressure On
Senator Sanders has long accused Big Pharma of wielding unchecked power in Washington. At a Senate hearing earlier this year, he famously confronted CEOs from Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
“This country doesn’t regulate drug companies,” Sanders charged. “In many ways, drug companies regulate this country.”
Following Kennedy’s rare praise, Sanders doubled down on the core issue: “We can agree on the problem,” he said, “but we cannot fix it with half-measures and press conferences.”
A Turning Point — Or a Tactical Play?
As both sides of the aisle jockey for credit in tackling one of America’s most urgent crises, the broader public continues to suffer under crushing drug costs.
While Kennedy’s acknowledgment of Sanders has stirred speculation — and even some hope — the question remains whether it signals a real shift toward bipartisan cooperation or is just another chapter in Washington’s ongoing game of political optics.
With 2026 reforms looming and legal battles likely, the real test will be whether any of these efforts translate into tangible savings for everyday Americans.
For now, one truth is undeniable: the fight to lower drug prices has never been more personal, more political, or more urgent.