Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the man Trump and House Republicans tapped to lead the country’s public health agencies, testified before Congress this week—and told lawmakers Americans shouldn’t be taking medical advice from him.
Kennedy appeared at a House Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday to discuss the sweeping budget and staffing cuts he’s proposing across health institutions like the CDC, NIH, and FDA. But when pressed on a basic question—whether he’d vaccinate his own children against measles—Kennedy hesitated.
“Probably,” he said, before quickly clarifying: “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.”
That moment stood out sharply, considering Kennedy is now in charge of the very agencies that guide national health policy. For decades, the longtime vaccine skeptic has pushed widely discredited misinformation about childhood immunizations, including linking them to autism. During Wednesday’s hearing, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) also asked Kennedy whether he’d recommend the polio vaccine. Again, Kennedy declined to answer directly.
His refusal to affirm support for vaccines comes amid the worst measles outbreak the U.S. has seen in years. Despite this, Kennedy attempted to reassure lawmakers that the CDC is “doing a better job… than any nation in the world controlling this measles outbreak”—a claim many experts view with skepticism.
Beyond his personal views, Kennedy was also grilled on the Trump administration’s proposed $18 billion cut to the NIH and plans to eliminate or consolidate critical agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) warned that the move could gut research into HIV, tuberculosis, and other diseases while weakening the nation’s capacity to respond to outbreaks.
“You have the power of the purse,” Kennedy told Congress. DeLauro reminded him: “I’m not sure the administration has internalized that.”
Still, Kennedy reiterated that he would spend any funds Congress appropriates, even as his own proposals significantly slash investments in disease prevention, maternal health, mental health services, and addiction treatment. He defended the moves as cost-saving efforts tied to a broader “Make America Healthy Again” initiative focused on lifestyle and wellness.
Meanwhile, Kennedy’s vaccine stance continues to alarm lawmakers and public health officials. His past work with anti-vaccine groups and the hiring of vaccine skeptics to key positions have further raised concerns about the politicization of health leadership at a time when public trust is already fragile.
