RFK Jr. Says Biden Targeted Christian Families Seeking To Adopt

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. exposed how the Biden administration systematically blocked countless Christian families from fostering or adopting vulnerable children.

During recent testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, Kennedy laid bare the harsh reality facing America’s foster care system, where a severe shortage leaves roughly two children in need for every available family.

He directly attributed part of this crisis to deliberate Biden-era policies that targeted families of faith, particularly Christians, whose biblical convictions on marriage, gender, and sexuality clashed with radical new mandates.

“The Biden administration was excluding an entire class of people because of their religious beliefs,” Kennedy stated plainly, noting that officials instructed states to pass laws refusing families with traditional Christian views the opportunity to care for children.

This shocking policy, critics argue, prioritized ideological conformity over the urgent needs of abused and neglected kids languishing in the system.

The centerpiece of the controversy was the 2024 HHS final rule titled “Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children.”

It forced state agencies receiving federal funding to ensure “designated placements” only in homes that fully affirmed a child’s self-identified sexual orientation or gender identity, complete with mandatory training and environments free from any perceived “hostility” toward such identities.

Faith-based families who held traditional views, that marriage is between one man and one woman, or that biological sex is immutable, were effectively sidelined, as their homes could no longer qualify for many placements.

Nineteen Republican state attorneys general warned years ago that the rule would shutter faith-based agencies and disqualify devout Christian parents, shrinking an already strained pool of willing caregivers.

Research consistently shows that practicing Christians are nearly twice as likely as non-religious individuals to step up and foster or adopt children, making this exclusion particularly damaging to the system’s capacity.

Conservatives have long argued that government should not punish families for living out their sincerely held religious beliefs, especially when those beliefs motivate selfless service to the most vulnerable.

A federal district court in Texas agreed, vacating the entire Biden rule in June 2025 for exceeding HHS statutory authority and conflicting with the Social Security Act.

Under the current administration, HHS has proposed formally rescinding the rule’s language to clear any lingering confusion and restore broader eligibility for qualified families of faith.

Kennedy emphasized that reversing this discriminatory policy is essential to achieving the goal of one stable family for every child in foster care, rather than the current two-to-one imbalance.

President Trump’s executive order on “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families” further directs HHS to remove barriers based on religious convictions and strengthen partnerships with faith-based organizations.

This commonsense approach recognizes that loving, stable homes rooted in traditional values provide the best environment for children to heal and thrive.

Liberal critics once defended the Biden rule as necessary “protection” for LGBTQI+ youth, but conservatives counter that true child welfare demands prioritizing safety, permanency, and the child’s best interests, not enforcing contested gender ideologies on unwilling families.

By discriminating against Christians, the prior administration not only violated First Amendment principles but also harmed the very children it claimed to protect by reducing available homes.

The foster care system already faces chronic challenges, with hundreds of thousands of children cycling through care for extended periods, often without timely permanency.

Excluding motivated faith-driven families only exacerbated delays, group home reliance, and emotional trauma for kids who desperately need individualized love and guidance.

Conservative leaders praise RFK Jr. and the Trump administration for swiftly correcting course and reopening doors to religious Americans eager to serve.

This policy shift aligns with core conservative values: limited government overreach, protection of religious liberty, and a child-first approach that trusts families over bureaucrats.

State and local officials are now encouraged to recruit broadly, without ideological litmus tests that alienate millions of potential foster parents.

Churches, synagogues, and faith communities have historically been vital partners in supporting foster families, offering respite care, mentoring, and wraparound services that government alone cannot provide.

Restoring their full participation promises to expand capacity and improve outcomes for America’s most at-risk youth.

As the rescission process moves forward, conservatives urge vigilance against any future attempts to reimpose discriminatory mandates through regulation or guidance.

The presumption of innocence and due process apply, but public policy must never penalize citizens for exercising their faith in private family matters.

Every child deserves a loving home, and every qualified family, regardless of their biblical worldview, should have the opportunity to provide one without fear of federal punishment.