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Dr. Oz Forced To Walk Back Trump's Claims That MMR Vaccine Is 'Lethal' In Awkward Interview
At one point, Trump claimed the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, commonly referred to as MMR, was "quite lethal."
When a reporter asked for a source for the false claim, Trump responded:
"What I’ve heard is that there are some people who say it is that way."
On Sunday's episode of CBS's Face the Nation, program moderator Margaret Brennan put Dr. Mehmet Oz on the spot about the Trump administration's lies and medical misinformation—driven by antivaxxer and conspiracy theorist Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—about vaccines.
Prior to joining the Trump administration, Kennedy made millions selling his services as a vaccine and health expert. Unlike Oz, Kennedy has no medical or scientific training.
Brennan, who has covered Washington D.C. since 2012 and serves as the CBS chief foreign affairs correspondent and backup anchor for CBS Evening News, played Oz a clip of Trump claiming the MMR vaccine was "lethal."
She then asked Trump's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator:
"The President twice said the shot may be lethal. Do you want to clarify that?"
You can watch the exchange here:
After Oz danced around the question, Brennan told him:
"But [Trump] said it was the MMR vaccine; he used the term ‘lethal.’ That’s what I’m asking you to clarify."
Oz again tried to evade exposing Trump administration lies, but Brennan repeated the original question.
Finally, Oz admitted:
"The MMR vaccine is not a lethal vaccine."
"And it is offered in other countries, the measles in particular, separately, like in Japan."
Brennan then added that countries that didn't use MMR—opting instead to spread vaccinations out as Trump’s executive order directs with no medical or scientific reason to back it up—had encountered problems.
Brennan replied to Oz's citing of Japan:
"And they had problems with it in Japan once they started separating things out."
Japan stopped using the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in 1993 due to fears of rare potential side effects. The decision led to lower vaccination rates, severe disease outbreaks, and long-term immunity gaps, according to findings published by Japanese researchers in 2017.
People were disgusted with the Trump administration pushing medical misinformation and Oz's reluctance to call it out.
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Trump is never a fan of having his lies exposed and publicly contradicted.
Maybe Oz will become the latest Trump administration casualty as a result.
You can watch the full Face the Nation interview with Oz here:
Mark Ruffalo Hits Back After Paramount Accuses Him Of Antisemitism Over His Merger Criticism
Ruffalo, known as a staunch and vocal advocate for the environment and an ally for workers, artists, and marginalized peoples, made his reasons for opposing the merger very clear across his social media. He's also promoted petitions and attended #BlockTheMerger rallies.
In April, Ruffalo called out the billionaire Ellison family's plans on Threads:
"Two guys, [father and son Larry and David] both of them with a very narrow understanding of the world, who are close friends to the most anti-First Amendment, anti-press President in history, who censors science, climate change, anything having to do with equality, and is currently in the process of killing American citizens, waging a disastrous illegal war, while supporting a genocide, will own the greatest concentration of news and entertainment in world history. What could possibly go wrong?"
To counter Ruffalo's criticisms of both the merger and Larry Ellison's company Oracle and their involvement in the genocide in Gaza, the Ellison-owned Paramount labeled the four time Oscar-nominated actor "antisemitic."
A spokesperson for Paramount stated:
"We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute."
Not willing to be smeared by the media giant in service of the Ellison family's interests, Ruffalo countered:
"The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people."
Ruffalo added:
"This merger has real consequences for real people, and for the entire country. Scrutinizing the Ellisons, including Oracle’s business built on data, surveillance technology and government contracts, and the serious threat to editorial freedom and the loss of a livelihood for thousands of families, is fair and necessary."
"The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public."
You can see Ruffalo's full rebuttal here:
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People had Ruffalo's back across social media.
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The Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery merger is currently mired in litigation.
While the Department of Justice reviewed the merger's legality, the Ellisons were wining and dining MAGA Republican President Donald Trump after donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to his presidential campaigns. Critics are crying foul after the Trump administration approved the deal.
Attorneys General from 12 states have taken the deal to court on the grounds that it violates Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act by substantially lessening competition. The Writers Guild of America filed a separate similar lawsuit to also block the merger.