RFK Jr faces probe over 'anti-vaccine' activism during 2019 Samoa visit

Two Democratic senators are launching an investigation into whether US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr “lied” to Congress during his confirmation hearing about the reasons behind his 2019 trip to Samoa.On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who is set to take over as chair of a powerful Senate committee, wrote to Children’s Health Defense (CHD), a non-profit organisation known for its anti-vaccine activism that Kennedy chaired before joining the Trump administration.

Wyden sought a wide range of documents related to Kennedy’s trip to Samoa, his 2024 presidential campaign, and his Senate confirmation process, during which he is accused of lying to Congress.“We are beginning an investigation into evidence that secretary of health and human services Robert F Kennedy Jr unlawfully lied to Congress on multiple occasions,” Wyden said in his letter, according to The Guardian.The letter was also signed by Angela Alsobrooks, a Democratic senator from Maryland.Kennedy was confirmed as health secretary in February 2025, joining President Donald Trump’s second administration.