Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services (HHS) Director under the Trump Administration, told Congress on Wednesday that he believes people “shouldn’t be taking medical advice from [him]”.
The comments were made at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on May 14, as the committee reviewed the Trump Administration’s 2026 budget request, which was released on May 2.
During the hearing, Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan asked Kennedy whether, if he had a child now, he would vaccinate them for measles.
“Probably for measles,” Kennedy said before backtracking. “I don’t think people should be taking advice — medical advice — from me….I think if I answer that question directly, it will seem like I’m giving advice to other people, and I don’t want to be doing that.”
Kennedy has been known for his controversial stances on vaccines, raising questions about vaccine safety. Since being tapped to lead HHS, he has tried to distance himself from the anti-vaccine movement and recently backed vaccination as a preventive tool during a measles outbreak.
He still maintains however, that vaccines should be left to parents’ discretion, and has continued to spread misinformation about the measles vaccine.
“Okay, but that’s kind of your jurisdiction, because the CDC [Center for Disease Control] does give advice,” Pocan responded. The CDC provides guidance on disease prevention, the development of best health practices, and providing access to immunizations.
The hearing focused on proposed deep cuts to health services in the Administration’s “Skinny Budget,” seeking $94 billion for the HHS agencies— a reduction of about 26% from the 2025 level. The budget also aims to cut programs and staff at several HHS agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the CDC.
The budget also proposes $500 million for Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which includes downsizing the HHS from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees, and focusing on “ending America’s epidemic of chronic illness.”
