RFK Jr. Urges Measles Vaccination Amid Record Outbreak and Heated CNN Interview

On August 2 2026, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” with anchor Dana Bash. Kennedy told parents that “parents should get their children vaccinated for measles” and emphasized that the measles vaccine The interview quickly devolved into a contentious exchange in which Kennedy accused Bash of “press malpractice” and repeatedly challenged her to cite studies supporting COVID-19 vaccine benefits. The segment unfolded against the backdrop of the United States’ worst measles resurgence in 35 years.

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Measles cases have surged to a 35-year high, with 2,371 confirmed infections reported as of July 30—surpassing the 2,289 cases recorded in 2025 and the previous record set in 1991. The disease, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, is now threatening that status. National MMR vaccination coverage among kindergarteners fell from 95.2 % in the 2019-20 school year to 92.5 % in 2024-25, below the 95 % herd-immunity threshold. Outbreaks have been concentrated in communities with low vaccination uptake, including some religious groups.

CNN

• 2,371 U.S. measles cases (July 30) – 35-year high.

ABC News Australia

• 2,289 cases in 2025 – previous multi-decade high.

People Magazine

• Kindergarten MMR coverage: 95.2 % (2019-20) -> 92.5 % (2024-25).

ABC News Australia

• Two-dose MMR effectiveness: 97 % at preventing measles infection (CDC).

CNN

• Over 90 % of 2026 outbreaks involve unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals.

CNN

• South Carolina leads state-level case counts; a Spartanburg County outbreak reached nearly 1,000 cases before ending in April.

CNN

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People Magazine

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reiterates that two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine are 97 % effective and that maintaining >= 95 % coverage is essential to prevent sustained transmission.

The Guardian

• Dr. Ashish Jha labeled Kennedy’s claims about COVID-19 mortality, vaccine efficacy, and the origins of the pandemic as “factually not true.”

Forbes

• Public health experts repeatedly cited decades of epidemiologic research showing no causal link between vaccines and autism, directly contradicting Kennedy’s assertions.

The Hill

• Most sources report 2,371 measles cases, but a few round the figure to “over 2,370,” reflecting minor reporting variance.

RFK Jr. on CNN: fact-checking the measles and autism claims

• Precise vaccination rates within specific religious or cultural communities remain unclear; while some reports attribute outbreaks to “religious communities that don’t vaccinate,” other investigations note broader distrust of institutions rather than formal exemptions.

RFK Jr. on CNN: fact-checking the measles and autism claims

• Ongoing investigations into the CDC’s revised autism-vaccine webpage and the status of the U.S. measles-elimination certification are pending, leaving gaps in official guidance.

The Guardian

• “I’m not attacking you, I’m asking questions about how to prevent the next pandemic,” — Dana Bash, the health secretary

The Hill

• “Do you see your job as ending vaccine hesitancy, or do you see your job as telling the truth to the American people?” — Robert F. Kennedy, health secretary

The Wrap

• “The communities that are suffering from measles are almost all religious communities that just don’t vaccinate,” — Robert F. Kennedy, health secretary

CNN

• “We have the highest death rate from COVID” — Robert F. Kennedy, health secretary

Forbes

• “Parents should get their children vaccinated for measles,” — Robert F. Kennedy, health secretary

ABC News Australia