RFK Jr. Loses His Cool During Heated On-Air Clash With CNN Host Over Vaccines

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashed with CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday after she questioned him about his controversial anti-vaccine views.

The possibility of Kennedy assuming any senior government role raised significant concern among public health leaders and federal employees, who argued, even as Kennedy was taking the reins, that he should not have access to the nation's public health infrastructure.

For instance, as a prominent anti-vaccine activist, Kennedy has spent years lobbying lawmakers globally, including in Samoa during a deadly 2019 measles outbreak that claimed the lives of dozens of children. While Kennedy’s representatives have denied that he is anti-vaccine, Kennedy has also denied involvement in the Samoa measles crisis.

Last year, Kennedy announced that he'd be eliminating 22 contracts—amounting to $500 million in cuts—aimed at developing mRNA vaccines. He claimed funds would instead be redirected toward "safer, broader vaccine platforms" that remain effective as viruses mutate, a move that public health experts say will have devastating consequences.

Just months ago, Kennedy appeared before federal lawmakers in a series of hearings, where he pushed back on criticism over measles outbreaks and declining vaccination rates while promoting initiatives he said would make healthcare more affordable.

It was these very measles outbreaks that Bash asked Kennedy for a response to, noting that he has "been one of the leading voices questioning the efficacy of vaccines." She asked if he accepts "some responsibility" for the outbreaks in the United States.

Kennedy replied:

"Absolutely not. First of all, this is an international outbreak so we are doing better handling it than any country in the world."

You can watch their exchange in the video below.

When Kennedy interrupted Bash by stressing that he "question[s] the efficacy of the mRNA vaccine," Bash asked:

"Are you willing to say to parents who have not yet vaccinated their kids for measles that it is safe, that it will help them and save their children's lives? Right now. Look into the camera."

Kennedy replied:

"Parents should get their children vaccinated for measles. The measles vaccine is effective. It stops measles in about 97 percent of the cases. People should get vaccinated."

You can watch their exchange in the video below.

At one point, a defensive Kennedy said to Bash that "you probably don't understand this because you're not a scientist," to which Bash replied:

"Well, you're not either."

When Kennedy accused Bash of being "flustered," she said:

"I'm not flustered at all. I'm frustrated. The reason I am frustrated is because you are the HHS secretary, and you are talking about things that lead to vaccine hesitancy in this country, and it is something that causes problems for people.”

Bash also rejected Kennedy's suggestion that she isn't necessarily on the side of "telling the truth," but when she defended the efficacy of vaccines, noting that "study after study after study" has concluded that vaccines are safe, he said:

"You're repeating like a parrot. All you know how to do is repeat things that people told you and say, ‘Trust the experts.’“

You can watch their exchange in the video below.

Many have criticized Kennedy's remarks.

If this doesn't show you just how incompetent Kennedy is, we don't know what else to tell you.