RFK Jr. urges measles vaccination as US cases hit 35-year high, surpassing 2,300 infections

A contentious call for vaccination

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told American parents to vaccinate their children against measles during a heated interview on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. The statement was extracted by host Dana Bash, who asked him to use his "bully pulpit" as the new school year approaches. Kennedy, who has spent years amplifying misinformation about vaccines, replied that the measles vaccine is effective and stops the disease in about 97% of cases.

“Parents should get their children vaccinated for measles. A measles vaccine is effective, it stops measles in about 97% of the cases. People should get vaccinated.”

The call contrasts with Kennedy's long record of questioning vaccine safety. Even since becoming the country's top health official, he has depicted measles vaccination as a personal choice and claimed inaccurately that the power of the inoculation is waning.

Outbreak reaches a 35-year peak

The US has recorded 2,371 confirmed measles infections so far this year, surpassing the 2025 total of 2,289. The last time a single year saw more cases was 1991. The past two years combined have produced more measles infections than the rest of the 21st century. Cases rose close to tenfold between 2024 and 2025, and 37 new outbreaks have already been recorded in 2026, putting the country at risk of losing its measles elimination status held since 2000.

Bash presses on vaccine-autism link

Bash cited the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Infectious Diseases, noting that more than 40 studies involving 5.6 million people have found no link between vaccines and autism. Kennedy pointed out that many of those studies focused on the MMR vaccine and said he wants other childhood vaccines studied with equal rigor. When Bash asked if he was a scientist, Kennedy replied that she was not one either, prompting Bash to observe that he is not a scientist himself.

“Dana, you probably don't understand this because you're not a scientist.”

Kennedy deflects responsibility

Asked whether he would accept some responsibility for the outbreak given his history of vaccine skepticism, Kennedy answered "absolutely not" and maintained that the outbreak was international in nature. He also urged parents to get the MMR vaccine, a stance he has not always fully supported.

Attacks on Fauci and constitutional framing

Kennedy used the interview to attack Anthony Fauci, blaming the former NIAID director for millions of Americans sickened or killed by Covid-19. Bash challenged the assertion, noting that public health experts attribute the high death rates to a combination of factors including gaps in health care and misinformation, and that Fauci served under President Donald Trump. Kennedy held firm. He also argued that protecting constitutional rights must take priority during future public health crises.

2024230

20252,289

20262,371

2024

230 cases

2025

2289 cases

2026

2371 cases

Data from the article text