Trending Now - RFK Jr. Faces Tough Questions on Vaccines and Military Health
WHO:
NBC News - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to no longer require the flu vaccine for troops.
ABC News - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
NBC News - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
ABC News - Rep. Kim Schrier, a Democrat from Washington
ABC News - Rep. Cliff Bentz, a Republican from Oregon
ABC News - Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina
ABC News - New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat
ABC News - Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina
ABC News - Edwin Park, a research professor at Georgetown University
WHAT:
ABC News - Kennedy stated, “It has nothing to do with me,” regarding the uptick in measles cases across the country over the past year.
ABC News - Rep. Kim Schrier argued that Kennedy’s vaccine views have caused a “spillover effect” leading to mothers not giving their babies vitamin K injections.
ABC News - Kennedy cited a Congressional Budget Office report estimating Medicaid outlays to increase by about 47% over the next decade, but experts criticized his framing as disingenuous.
ABC News - Rep. Cliff Bentz shared that his brother pays $26,000 per year for health coverage and questioned Kennedy on how to address this issue.
ABC News - Kennedy acknowledged that the proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) raised bipartisan outcry, stating, “There’s a lot of cuts to the agency that nobody wants.”
NBC News - Lawmakers expressed concerns about Kennedy's vaccine stances as millions are expected to travel to the U.S. for the World Cup in 2026.
NBC News - Kennedy faced backlash for alleging that Medicaid programs are "rife with fraud," which advocates for disabled people and caregivers found insulting.
ABC News - Kennedy concluded a series of budget hearings with federal lawmakers on April 20th, 2026.
ABC News - The proposed 2027 budget would boost defense spending while cutting more than 12% of funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ABC News - Kennedy acknowledged that the budget cuts were “painful” but necessary to address a $39 trillion deficit.
ABC News - Kennedy stated that he is “pro-science” and deflected blame for the decline in childhood vaccination rates.
NBC News - Lawmakers questioned Kennedy about the measles outbreak, which is in its second year in the United States.
ABC News - Kennedy cited a Congressional Budget Office report estimating Medicaid outlays to increase by about 47% over the next decade.
ABC News - The Trump administration is proposing to cut approximately $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the budget cuts.
WHERE:
ABC News - The hearings took place in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
WHEN:
ABC News - The hearings concluded on April 20th, 2026.
ABC News - Kennedy's comments regarding the measles outbreak were made during the hearings held over multiple days in April 2026.
WHY:
NBC News - Concerns were raised regarding the measles outbreak and the potential impact of increased travel during the World Cup on public health.
ABC News - Kennedy argued that fewer Americans are vaccinating due to a loss of trust in government recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABC News - The budget cuts are part of efforts to address the federal government’s record deficit.
HOW:
ABC News - Kennedy defended the budget cuts by stating they were necessary to manage the federal deficit and mentioned several Trump administration initiatives aimed at lowering drug prices.
ABC News - Kennedy defended the budget cuts by stating that they were necessary to manage the federal deficit and that he was working to restore trust in health recommendations.
(UPDATED April 23, 2026 21:16 UTC)
Kennedy addressed the recent rise in measles cases, claiming it has nothing to do with him, while Rep. Kim Schrier argued that his vaccine views have led to a "spillover effect" causing some mothers to skip vitamin K injections for their babies. He also referenced a Congressional Budget Office report predicting a significant increase in Medicaid costs over the next decade, though experts criticized his interpretation as misleading. In a discussion about health coverage costs, Rep. Cliff Bentz highlighted his brother's annual expense of $26,000, prompting Kennedy to defend proposed budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health as necessary for managing the federal deficit, while pointing to initiatives from the Trump administration aimed at reducing drug prices.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 17:26 UTC)
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has endorsed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to no longer require the flu vaccine for troops, a move that has sparked concerns among lawmakers as millions prepare to travel to the U.S. for the World Cup in 2026. Kennedy also faced backlash for his comments alleging that Medicaid programs are "rife with fraud," which many advocates for disabled individuals found deeply insulting. With the ongoing measles outbreak, there are heightened worries about how increased travel during the World Cup could affect public health.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 13:25 UTC)
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrapped up a series of budget hearings with federal lawmakers on Monday, where he discussed the proposed 2027 budget that aims to increase defense spending while cutting over 12% from the Department of Health and Human Services. During the hearings, Kennedy acknowledged the painful nature of these cuts, which are part of efforts to address a staggering $39 trillion deficit, and he attributed the decline in childhood vaccination rates to a loss of trust in government recommendations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers also questioned him about the ongoing measles outbreak, which is now in its second year in the U.S., as he cited a Congressional Budget Office report predicting a 47% increase in Medicaid outlays over the next decade.