What do newly obtained documents reveal about RFK Jr.'s 2019 Samoa trip and his claim that it was 'unrelated to vaccines'?

Newly obtained documents — specifically a 2019 letter from RFK Jr. to the Samoan prime minister — directly contradict his claim that the trip was 'unrelated to vaccines.' In the letter, he explicitly requested to study Samoa’s measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines following the deaths of two children who had received them, using the words 'vaccine' or 'vaccination' eight times and proposing a 'detailed health informatics assessment' of the MMR vaccines. This undermines his testimony to lawmakers during his confirmation process, where he asserted the visit had 'nothing to do with vaccines.'

Did RFK Jr. testify under oath when he claimed the Samoa trip was unrelated to vaccines, and what are the legal implications of false statements to Congress?

RFK Jr. was not under oath during his confirmation hearing, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. However, knowingly giving material false testimony to Congress is still a crime punishable by imprisonment, regardless of oath status — though such prosecutions are rare. The HHS called claims that Kennedy 'lied under oath' 'false and outright defamatory,' but acknowledged he made the statement to lawmakers during a confirmation process where his support from skeptical Republican senators was essential to advancing his nomination.

Documents Refute RFK Jr.'s Claim That Samoa Trip Was Unrelated to Vaccines

Aug 28, 2026

Newly obtained documents contradict Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s testimony that his 2019 Samoa visit was unrelated to vaccines. The letter reveals he sought to study MMR vaccines following child deaths, raising questions about his truthfulness during confirmation hearings.

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Documents Refute RFK Jr.'s Claim That Samoa Trip Was Unrelated to Vaccines

Documents Refute RFK Jr.'s Claim That Samoa Trip Was Unrelated to Vaccines

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