RFK Jr. pushes vaccine agenda
The gist
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA-aligned candidates lost in Iowa, Texas and Kansas in Tuesday's elections.
His vaccine skepticism is testing the GOP coalition that helped Trump win in 2024.
How it unfolded
- late Feb 2025Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumes office as HHS Secretary.
- Aug 28, 2025Rep. DeLauro calls for Kennedy to be fired, saying CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez was fired for refusing to sign off on his anti-vaccine agenda and three CDC experts resigned.
- Aug 10, 2026Trump signs an executive order changing the childhood vaccine schedule, with Kennedy citing a "dramatic increase" in autism rates; medical organizations push back, noting no credible scientific evidence.
Key terms
- HHS
- U.S. federal cabinet department that sets guidelines for private healthcare and funds medical research and human services.
- MAHA
- American populist slogan and political movement focused on public health, linked to Trump and RFK Jr.
- GOP
- The Republican Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia