Yes, RFK Jr. Did Say 'We Promote' the Measles Vaccine — But Context Matters
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated during a Senate hearing that 'We promote' the measles vaccine”
The argument in brief
During his January 29, 2025 Senate confirmation hearing for HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that HHS promotes the measles vaccine. This is confirmed by C-SPAN footage and reporting from Reuters, the AP, and the New York Times. The statement is real, but it sits in sharp tension with his decades of anti-vaccine advocacy.
Why it spread
People shared this because it felt like a dramatic reversal from one of America's most prominent vaccine skeptics. Supporters wanted to believe he had moderated; opponents wanted to highlight the gap between his words and his history. Both sides had reason to amplify it, which pushed the clip across social media quickly.
The claim is true. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did say 'We promote' the measles vaccine during his Senate HELP Committee confirmation hearing on January 29, 2025, when senators pressed him on his vaccine stance. The moment was captured on C-SPAN and widely reported.
Multiple major outlets confirmed the statement. Reuters, the Associated Press, and the New York Times all reported that Kennedy told the committee he supports the measles vaccine and that the department he was seeking to lead promotes it. There is no dispute about whether the words were said.
What makes the statement complicated is the context. Kennedy founded Children's Health Defense, an organization with a long record of spreading vaccine misinformation. For decades he has publicly questioned vaccine safety and linked vaccines to conditions like autism — a claim thoroughly rejected by scientific research. Senators from both parties noted this history and questioned whether his hearing testimony reflected a genuine change of position.
The strongest version of the skeptical take is this: a confirmation hearing is exactly the moment a nominee would say whatever is needed to win votes. Kennedy's supporters saw the statement as a reassuring pivot; his critics saw it as strategic positioning with no guarantee it would shape his actual policies at HHS.
This story spread because it created a genuine tension — a man famous for opposing vaccines appearing to endorse one on national television. That kind of apparent contradiction travels fast. When evaluating statements like this, it helps to look at the full record, not just a single hearing answer. Words in a confirmation room and actions in office can be very different things.
Sources
- C-SPAN / Senate HELP Committee Hearing (January 29, 2025)
During his Senate HELP Committee confirmation hearing for HHS Secretary, RFK Jr. stated 'We promote' the measles vaccine when pressed by senators about his stance on vaccines, though his broader record shows longstanding skepticism about vaccine safety.
- Reuters
Reuters reported that RFK Jr. told senators during his confirmation hearing that he supports the measles vaccine and that HHS promotes it, a statement that contrasted with his decades of anti-vaccine advocacy.
- Associated Press
AP reported that Kennedy said during the hearing that he supports the measles vaccine and that the department he would lead promotes it, while senators questioned the sincerity of the statement given his history.
- The New York Times
The Times noted Kennedy's statement supporting the measles vaccine during the hearing but also highlighted his long history of spreading vaccine misinformation, raising questions about whether his stated position reflected a genuine shift.
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