RFK Jr. Tells Anti-Vaccine Allies to Be Patient as Measles Outbreak Grows
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. headlined the Children's Health Defense conference in Washington, D.C., on 17 September 2026 with a promise to anti-vaccine activists: "You have a strong and steadfast friend at the White House." The Guardian
Kennedy founded Children's Health Defense and led it for nearly two decades before entering government. The group is now led by CEO Mary Holland and had booked Kennedy as keynote speaker for the 17 September event. His speech ran nearly an hour and a half. He mentioned measles only once.
He asked supporters who want rapid policy shifts to wait. He said he would have made broad changes "on day one" but must follow the law to make lasting change. He added, "you have friends in the White House, and we are doing this one day at a time."
His comments came during the worst U.S. measles outbreak in decades. The outbreak recently killed four people in Pennsylvania, after killing three people in Texas and Arizona last year. The Guardian The Trump administration changed how it counts measles deaths, with the CDC announcing changes to how it reports measles deaths while Pennsylvania was still confirming more cases. The Guardian
Kennedy was introduced and followed on the program by Andrew Wakefield, a former gastroenterologist, a doctor focused on the digestive system, whose license was revoked after he was found to have fabricated research claiming a link between vaccines and autism. Wakefield spoke just before and right after Kennedy. During his address, Kennedy said diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome, and anorexia can be side effects of routine vaccines.
The broader context here is about how federal health power works. Kennedy now directs HHS regulatory and messaging tools while keeping trust with the movement he built. Lasting vaccine policy shifts are like rewiring a house to code. They need formal rulemaking, public evidence and court review, all slower than a direct order. His brief mention of deaths during a growing outbreak also raises questions about federal risk communication and how states report cases.
