Kennedy Tells Vaccine Skeptics They Have Friend in White House

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the Children's Health Defense conference on Sept. 17, 2026, "You have a strong and steadfast friend at the White House," adding President Trump will not treat parents who question vaccine orthodoxies as lepers. The HHS secretary co-founded the group a decade ago, resigned before confirmation, and delivered the keynote in his first public association with it since taking office, citing vaccine-guidance and ACIP changes. Four measles-associated deaths occurred in Pennsylvania this summer, including an 18-year-old this week. Fiona Havers cited more than 3,000 measles cases in 2026 and said the appearance legitimizes CHD's message and undercuts outbreak control; Shaughnessy Naughton said Kennedy should step aside. Kennedy contrasted headlines for measles deaths with harm he attributed to vaccine injuries, praised Mary Holland as an extraordinary warrior, and restated dose and chronic-illness claims. ACIP members he appointed altered hepatitis B, MMRV, and thimerosal recommendations before a Massachusetts judge blocked schedule changes in March. Contested: Kennedy's claim of 94 vaccine doses versus roughly 30 per doctors to ABC News; coverage cited scientific consensus finding no MMR-autism causal link. The judge's case remains in litigation.