Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced about 3.5 hours of questioning on topics including his past comments on vaccines and abortion during the first of his two confirmation hearings.

The longtime liberal faces deep skepticism over his public health views. “Frankly, you frighten people,” one Democratic senator told his former roommate.

Kennedy Jr., one of the nation's most publicly recognized vaccine skeptics, faced sharp questions Wednesday as he went before a Senate panel for the first time as President Donald Trump's pick to become health secretary.