Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. has surpassed 1,100 cases of measles in 2026, with the disease spreading across the country. There have been 10 new outbreaks reported in 2026, and 90% of confirmed cases are outbreak-associated. Under Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s tenure, U.S. measles cases have spiked, with 2,281 confirmed cases in 2025 alone - the most measles cases in over three decades and the first measles-related deaths in 10 years.

There have been cases in 28 states so far this year, and South Carolina is currently seeking non-CDC reinforcements to help the state contain the largest U.S. measles outbreak in more than 30 years. RFK Jr. has so far been silent on the measles outbreak there.

RFK Jr. has downplayed the severity of the measles outbreak and spread lies about the efficacy of the measles vaccine. Now, more than 25 years after the virus was declared eliminated in the country, the U.S. is expected to lose its measles elimination status if it fails to prove that it can stop the spread of measles.

In response, DNC Spokesperson Jaelin O'Halloran released the following statement:

"Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have recklessly put the health and safety of children and families at risk. Their war on established medical science has enabled dangerous outbreaks across the country, leading to serious illness and death that could have been avoided. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. because of proven, safe, and effective vaccines. In one year alone, RFK Jr. has upended that progress, putting communities at risk. As the most powerful health official in the country, RFK Jr. has gambled with public health - and it's children and families who are paying the price."

This week, Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, Casey Means, refused to answer whether she would encourage mothers to have their children vaccinated against measles during her confirmation hearing. If confirmed, she would become the nation's doctor, and she has previously criticized vaccines and even suggested overhauling the federal vaccine court.