RFK Jr. Accused of Lying About Vaccine Role in Samoa Measles Outbreak
Newly obtained letters reveal HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Samoa’s prime minister in 2019 he intended to study MMR vaccine efficacy, contradicting his sworn Senate testimony that the trip had “nothing to do with vaccines.” Critics link his visit and his nonprofit’s anti-vaccine messaging to a subsequent measles outbreak that infected over 5,700 and killed 83, mostly children. Senator Wyden has called for a criminal probe, while HHS denies wrongdoing.
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Senator Wyden Demands Criminal Probe Into RFK Jr. Over Samoa Measles Deaths
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has called for a criminal investigation into Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing new evidence linking Kennedy's anti-vaccine messaging to the deadly 2019 measles epidemic in Samoa. Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, stated that Kennedy's 'platform is built on lies and grifts that leave a trail of dead children in their wake.' Letters obtained by The Guardian and AP reveal that Kennedy explicitly informed the Samoan prime minister he intended to study MMR vaccine efficacy, contradicting his sworn testimony that his trip had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' Kennedy's visit preceded a measles outbreak that caused 5,707 cases and 83 deaths, mostly children under five. The article also notes declining U.S. vaccination rates and a current measles crisis with over 2,777 cases in 2026. Other Democratic officials, including Senators Ed Markey and Angela Alsobrooks, have called for Kennedy's removal.
RFK Jr. Accused of Lying to Congress About Role in Samoa Measles Outbreak
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine activist and current HHS Secretary, is accused of lying to the U.S. Senate during his 2025 confirmation hearings. He claimed his 2019 trip to Samoa had 'nothing to do with vaccines,' but newly obtained letters show he explicitly informed the Samoan prime minister of his intent to study MMR vaccine efficacy, linking two infant deaths to the vaccine. Following his visit, his nonprofit Children's Health Defense spread vaccine misinformation in Samoa, causing vaccination rates to plummet from 60-70% to 31%. This preceded a severe measles outbreak in 2019 with 5,707 cases and 83 deaths, mostly young children. Despite the evidence, an HHS spokesperson denied Kennedy lied, though he was not under oath. Making false statements to the federal government is a felony under U.S. Code.
RFK Jr. Lied in Confirmation Hearings About Spreading Measles in Samoa
The New Republic reports that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied during his 2025 Senate confirmation hearings about his 2019 trip to Samoa. Letters obtained by The Guardian and AP show Kennedy explicitly informed the Samoan prime minister of his intention to study MMR vaccine efficacy, contradicting his claims that the trip had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' Kennedy's anti-vaccine nonprofit, Children's Health Defense, spread misinformation in Samoa, causing vaccination rates to plummet from 60-70% to 31%. This preceded a deadly measles outbreak with 5,707 cases and 83 deaths, mostly children under five. Despite HHS spokesperson denials, the article notes that making false statements to the federal government is a felony under U.S. Code.
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Documents refute RFK Jr.'s Senate testimony that his Samoa visit had 'nothing to do with vaccines'
An article from HuffPost UK reports that documents have emerged contradicting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Senate testimony, in which he claimed his visit to Samoa had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' The documents suggest that the trip was indeed related to vaccine issues, undermining his sworn statements. The story highlights a potential credibility issue for Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccine activist, regarding his activities in Samoa, a country that experienced a severe measles outbreak in 2019 linked to low vaccination rates. The publication date is August 27, 2026.
RFK Jr. Denied Vaccine Focus of Samoa Trip, But Letter Shows Otherwise
Newly obtained documents contradict Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s sworn testimony to Congress that his 2019 visit to Samoa had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' A letter from Kennedy to the Samoan prime minister, obtained by the AP and The Guardian, uses the words 'vaccine' or 'vaccination' eight times and requests to study the country's MMR vaccines after two children died. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy repeatedly denied the trip was vaccine-related, claiming it was to introduce a medical informatics system. The Department of Health and Human Services defended Kennedy, calling accusations of lying 'defamatory.' Legal experts say congressional action is unlikely under the Republican-led Congress. The Samoa trip is controversial because critics say it emboldened anti-vaccine activists, contributing to a subsequent measles outbreak that killed 83 people. Additionally, Kennedy later broke a pledge to Sen. Bill Cassidy by ousting the entire federal vaccine advisory committee.
RFK Jr. Lied About Samoan Trip During Confirmation Hearings, New Letter Indicates
A newly published letter from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to the Prime Minister of Samoa, written before his 2019 trip, reveals he intended to study the use of the MMR vaccine in the country, contradicting his sworn testimony during confirmation hearings that the visit had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' The trip has been linked to a measles outbreak that sickened over 5,700 people and killed 83 in Samoa. Kennedy has been accused of bolstering anti-vaccine activists in the nation at the time. The letter uses the words 'vaccine' or 'vaccination' eight times, directly undermining his previous statements under oath.