New evidence casts doubt on RFK Jr testimony before Senate [View all]
Kennedy repeatedly said 2019 Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. An email from his then colleague says they were on a vaccine-related mission
New evidence has emerged that Robert F Kennedy Jr was on a vaccine-related mission when he visited Samoa ahead of a deadly measles outbreak in 2019, raising further questions about whether the US health secretary lied to the US Senate when he said the trip had nothing to do with vaccines.
Records obtained by the Guardian show Kennedys colleague told Samoan officials in an email that he and Kennedy were coming as part of a mission to study the island nations medical records in the aftermath of a discontinuity in vaccinations.
We all look forward to the opportunity to be of service to the people of Samoa with our mission, Dr Michael Graven wrote.
Kennedy was at the time serving as chair and chief legal counsel of Childrens Health Defense, a non-profit group known for its anti-vaccine activism. Graven was the groups chief information officer. Spokespeople for Kennedy at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not respond to messages seeking comment.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/25/rfk-jr-senate-testimony-samoa-visit