NEW: Measles Outbreaks Worsen as RFK Jr. And His Staff Continue To Spread Misinformation About the Safety of Life-Saving Vaccines Arrow

Under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. has experienced a record number of measles cases recently, with a new outbreak reported today at the University of Wisconsin and worsening outbreaks in several states, including Texas, Washington, and South Careetxolina. More than 500 measles cases in the U.S. have been reported in January alone - a quarter of the total cases reported throughout all of 2025 - and 847 cases have been confirmed in South Carolina since October.

The U.S. is now expected to lose its measles elimination status if it fails to prove that it can interrupt the spread of measles. RFK Jr.'s hand-selected second-in-command at the CDC recently said that the U.S. losing its measles elimination status is simply the "cost of doing business."

RFK Jr.'s hand-picked chair of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel recently said that vaccines for measles and polio - and potentially all vaccines - should be optional, and claimed that he trusts his own observations over "established science."

In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:

"RFK Jr. has gambled with our public health system, and now children and families across the country are at risk of getting measles - a disease that we had previously eliminated. His repeated lies and misinformation about the safety of effective vaccines pose a serious public health risk and threaten the integrity of our public health system. American families should be able to have confidence that their public health officials will provide accurate, evidence-based information to protect them and their kids from dangerous diseases - not unsubstantiated claims that undermine trust in life-saving science."

The Trump administration has exacerbated the outbreak by spreading vaccine misinformation and refusing to coordinate with state health officials. RFK Jr. has downplayed the seriousness of the measles outbreak - claiming that the CDC has done a "very good job" of controlling the outbreak - and spread multiple lies about the efficacy of the measles vaccine. He has even promoted unproven, ineffective alternatives to vaccines, and experts warn that under RFK Jr.'s leadership, "Vaccines are going to be less available, less affordable, and there is going to be more fear."