Senate Finance Committee RFK Jr. Inquiry: Senators Investigate Whether Kennedy Misled Congress About His Samoa Trip
Sens. Ron Wyden and Angela Alsobrooks have asked Children's Health Defense for its records on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2019 Samoa travel, his campaign and his confirmation, after documents published in August contradicted his testimony that the visit had 'nothing to do with vaccines.' The health department calls the lying claim 'false but outright defamatory.'
Two Senate Democrats have opened an investigation into whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied to Congress about the reason for a 2019 trip to Samoa, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland sent a letter Wednesday to Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine nonprofit Kennedy formerly chaired, requesting documents on his Samoa travel, his 2024 presidential campaign and his confirmation process, along with all communications between the group and federal officials since President Donald Trump's second term began in January 2025. The group has until Dec. 4 to comply.
The inquiry follows reporting by the AP and The Guardian in August, which published documents refuting Kennedy's testimony. A letter Kennedy sent to Samoa's prime minister before the trip, on Children's Health Defense letterhead, used the word 'vaccine' or 'vaccination' eight times, while Kennedy repeatedly told lawmakers the visit had 'nothing to do with vaccines.'
The Department of Health and Human Services has maintained the visit 'was unrelated to vaccines' and in August called claims that he lied 'false but outright defamatory.' Kennedy was not under oath at his confirmation hearing. Wyden is expected to chair the Senate Finance Committee when Democrats retake Congress in January. The same senators also announced a separate investigation into hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts reportedly given to Kennedy last year by a donor and former employee.
