Hawley gets to ‘yes’ on Oz after Trump Medicare pick makes transgender, abortion promises

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has announced that he will vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nominee, Dr. Mehmet Oz, after receiving assurances from him regarding transgender treatments for minors and abortion. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Hawley stated, “On this basis, I will vote to confirm him. Now that I am confident that he has moved away from his previous positions, and he’s moved into alignment with the president, I feel comfortable voting for him.”

Hawley disclosed that Oz responded to his inquiries and renounced his past stances on transgender treatments for minors and abortion in a series of posts on X earlier in the day. “Dr. Oz has responded to my questions re: past support for trans treatments for minors & his criticism of right to life. Oz now disavows his previous support for trans surgeries & drugs for minor children. He pledges to ‘end chemical and surgical mutilation of children,’” Hawley wrote on X on Monday.

Furthermore, Hawley revealed that Oz walked back his past criticism of state pro-life laws, expressed support for the Dobbs decision, and declared himself as “unequivocally pro-life.” He also promised to enforce conscience protections, end the abuse of the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act, and work towards ending funding for abortion providers. Hawley emphasized that these commitments represented a significant shift in position for Oz, and he was “delighted” by his responses.

“When it comes to the [transgender] issue and the life issue, those are non-negotiable for me, just as I believe they are for the president,” Hawley emphasized. “I want to know that these people are 100% clear.”

Dr. Oz will soon face a full Senate vote for confirmation. White House spokesman Kush Desai expressed confidence in Oz’s alignment with President Trump’s agenda, stating, “Every member of the Trump administration is working from the same playbook, President Trump’s playbook, to restore commonsense policies and put an end to left-wing ideological nonsense afflicting our government.”

Earlier in the month, Hawley had sent Oz a list of questions, particularly focusing on abortion and transgender treatments for minors. Despite initially not receiving a response from the nominee, Oz ultimately addressed Hawley’s concerns and distanced himself from his previous positions on these issues.

Oz had previously used his television show to showcase individuals who supported transgender treatments, especially for minors. He had also expressed reservations about state laws restricting abortion and advocated for a hands-off federal approach to the issue during his Senate campaign in Pennsylvania in 2022.

Hawley’s successful efforts to secure commitments from Trump nominees, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration leader Dr. Marty Makary, underscore his dedication to ensuring that these individuals align with the president’s agenda. As Hawley continues to evaluate nominees for confirmation, he remains focused on maintaining alignment with President Trump’s policies and priorities in key healthcare and social issues.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.