Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with CNN anchor Dana Bash during the August 2, 2026, episode of State of the Union over vaccines, autism research, Anthony Fauci, COVID-19 and the United States’ worsening measles outbreak. The exchange turned especially tense when Kennedy told Bash she likely did not understand the issue because she was not a scientist. Bash quickly returned the serve by pointing out that Kennedy is not a scientist either. Bash cited more than 40 studies involving 5.6 million people that found no connection between childhood vaccines and autism, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases. Who Does RFK Jr. Blame for the Measles Surge? Kennedy argued that many existing studies focused on the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, commonly called MMR, and said other childhood vaccines deserve equally rigorous review. He also encouraged parents to vaccinate children against MMR, a position that has not always matched his previous public messaging. The interview came as U.S. measles cases reached a 35-year high. Cases climbed nearly tenfold from 2024 to 2025, with more than 2,300 cases reported in 2026 so far, but Kennedy rejected Bash’s question about whether he should accept responsibility and characterized the outbreak as international. Measles had been considered virtually eliminated in the United States after 2000, making the vaccine debate less theoretical and far more urgent.