RFK Jr. should handpick vaccine scientists, former adviser says
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should recruit scientists who want to seek proof that vaccines cause autism, one of his past advisers said at a POLITICO event Wednesday.
Del Bigtree, who was Kennedy's communications director during his presidential campaign and now leads a group promoting Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, dismissed widely replicated studies finding no link to autism because he alleged that they were conducted by scientists who wanted to find that result.
'Get scientists who say, 'I think I can prove vaccines do cause autism,'' he added. 'If they can't pull that off, now you have a true safety profile.'
Bigtree's comments were part of a full-throated assault on regulatory agencies he painted as servants of 'Big Ag, Big Food and Big Pharma.'
During POLITICO's First 100 Days: Health Care event, Bigtree said the regulatory system Kennedy now leads as secretary of Health and Human Services has long approved 'poisons' produced by industry for public consumption. He urged Kennedy to root out corporate influence at HHS.
That would defy longstanding Republican deference to private business. Bigtree said federal agencies should not be funded by industries, suggesting Kennedy's advisers are pushing for major reforms to the current user fee system at the HHS agency that oversees food and drugs, the FDA.
'Finally we have someone at the head of HHS not owned by these corporations,' Bigtree said of Kennedy. 'I think he's looking for the right type of people.'
During Kennedy's confirmation hearings, he refused to disavow his past statements drawing the autism link, telling senators he would not take away anyone's vaccines, but would pursue research and 'radical transparency' on vaccine science.
Bigtree said Kennedy should review HHS employees' histories to see whether they worked for industry and also vet their views about the causes of chronic disease. Kennedy has said he believes unhealthy food and chemicals in the environment are responsible for increases in such conditions.
'Robert Kennedy Jr. has to sit down with the team and bring people and say, 'What have you done over the last four years,'' he said. 'If they're not producing real results and good science, maybe there's a better job for them somewhere else.'
Hiring scientists more skeptical of industry and of existing vaccine science would help restore the public's flagging trust in the government's health care bureaucracy, Bigtree said, adding that he thought Kennedy could safely downsize HHS' 80,000-person staff.
The Trump administration, at the behest of Elon Musk and his government efficiency campaign, fired thousands of HHS workers last week. Bigtree said he didn't think Kennedy had provided input into those decisions but suggested there was still more to do.
Bigtree, who founded a group that criticizes vaccines, the Informed Consent Action Network, endorsed Kennedy's comments Tuesday to HHS staff that nothing was off limits for review.
Though Bigtree isn't part of the administration, he serves as a powerful leader of the MAHA movement. Its broad grassroots base put pressure on senators to confirm Kennedy, jamming Senate phone lines and filling confirmation hearings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
28 minutes ago
- CBS News
Small Business Administration launches Made in America initiative, tours businesses in North Texas
Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler visited North Texas as part of the SBA's Made in America manufacturing initiative, touring businesses across the country. Loeffler's North Texas stop was in Arlington. DSG Technology manufactures the world's first multi-environment ammunition. The company says the ammo targets combat divers and engages underwater targets from aerial platforms. Eye on Politics reporter Jack Fink discussed the initiative with Loeffler and three state representatives during their visit. "Small business is big business in America," Loeffler told Jack. "And this is what makes America strong, is when we have small businesses that can thrive, when big government gets out of the way, but also when the government provides solutions to make sure that small businesses can thrive. And that's why in the House and Senate, we're introducing a small business act that will ensure that manufacturers can get up to double the loan size up to $10 million so that we can grow manufacturing in America, because small manufacturers make up 99% of all manufacturers in America." Deregulatory efforts in Trump's "big, beautiful bill" "The SBA is working on a deregulatory effort and also access to capital, which is why we're supporting the legislature to double the loan size for manufacturers in America. I do believe it will pass," Loeffler said. "It's hard to argue against." "It shows how small businesses can be big business in America if regulations are left alone with them," Republican Congressman Roger Williams told Jack following their Arlington visit. Congresswoman Beth Van Dyne said, "I think the research and development that we're also supporting in this, you know, one big, beautiful bill is really going to be important to small companies like this, the one on and on a pass through to make sure that their taxes are not doubled." Congressman Jake Ellzey, "The tax cut and jobs act, tax cuts need to be made permanent. But what you're seeing here is the Texas miracle writ large. And companies are coming to Texas because we had a regulatory environment that was predictable. And now President Trump is trying to make that the same, nationwide." "Make Onshoring Great Again" Loeffler also told Jack about the "Make Onshoring Great Again portal" from the SBA that seeks to connect businesses with verified U.S. manufacturers, producers, and suppliers. The SBA website states the portal is "built to support companies that want to onshore operations, strengthen their supply chains, and source the components they need." "The SBA is taking a proactive step to make sure that small businesses know that there are about a million suppliers in this country already," Loeffler told Jack. "We're being part of the solution, along with expanded access to capital."
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
US Senate Hopeful Annie Andrews Says Lindsey Graham 'Corrupt As Ever'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democrat Annie Andrews is running for a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina, attempting to challenge four-term Republican incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham in November 2026. She spoke with Newsweek, saying she entered the race because Graham is as "corrupt as ever." Who Is Annie Andrews? Andrews, a mother of three, has spent her entire career working in hospitals—including 15 years at the children's hospital in the low country of South Carolina. She said she never originally planned to pivot into politics. But the day-to-day personal experiences she sees in her line of work encouraged her to do more. "What I see every day at the children's hospital is the effects of broken policies coming out of Washington, D.C." Andrews said. "I realize that they're harming kids and families long before they ever got to me at the hospital." Democrat Annie Andrews, right, is pictured with longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, left. Democrat Annie Andrews, right, is pictured with longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, left. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/AP/Canva Andrews alluded to children who are hungry and unaware of where their next meal will come from; kids who are in the throes of mental-health crises but can't access proper resources; those who are being diagnosed with new chronic diseases and their parents don't know if they can afford prescription drugs; and children who have been shot. "Once I understood that the system was failing our kids, I started to look upstream and I realized that it's because corrupt career politicians like Lindsey Graham are more than willing to sell our kids out if it means they can hold on to power," Andrews said. Learning From Losing This is not her first foray in politics. Andrews ran for Congress in 2022 and faced off against South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace. Andrews lost by 14 percentage points. But she "learned a lot," she said, and felt that her voice stemming from a long medical background is influential in a time when some lawmakers are proposing "gutting Medicaid," the largest insurer for children, cutting Medicare, or slashing funds for the National Institutes of Health. "Folks like me need to step up and fight back because what's happening is going to take decades for us to recover from," Andrews said. "But I learned that it's important to run, no matter how steep the odds are. It's important to run and to fight for what you believe in and to give voters a choice, and to let voters see that someone is willing to fight for them and deliver results that will actually help your constituents." Going Toe-To-Toe With Lindsey Graham Keeping Graham's seat is vital for the GOP as 33 of 100 Senate seats are being contested on November 3, 2026. Of those, 20 are currently held by Republicans. Andrews said Graham does his bidding in Washington and "doesn't even bother to hold town halls in South Carolina because he's only there to please Trump and to please billionaires and his corporate donors and special interest groups." "Graham has been in the Senate for 22 years, which is exactly half of my lifetime," she said. "And over that time period, he has changed his position on nearly every issue because he doesn't stand for anything other than what will allow him to keep power." Andrews cited a Winthrop University poll of general population South Carolinians conducted in late May shows Graham's approval ratings trailing Republican figures such as Trump (45 percent), South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (42 percent) and Senator Tim Scott (41 percent). Graham's rating is 34 percent. About 40 percent of respondents disapprove with how Graham is handing his duties, compared to 34 percent who approve and 25 percent who said they weren't sure. Abby Zilch, press secretary for Graham's campaign, told Newsweek on Thursday that the poll carries little if any weight. "The more effective you are in helping enact President Trump's agenda, the more Democrats want to take you down," Zilch said. "While Dr. Andrews pushes a radical liberal agenda that is out of touch with South Carolina, Senator Graham has always stood firm for conservative values—cutting taxes, securing the border, protecting the right to life, defending the 2nd Amendment, and confirming conservative judges to protect our freedoms." Andrews, however, said the poll numbers iterate how the Palmetto State really feels about the 69-year-old Graham, who was first elected in 2003 and won his last Senate race in 2020 by 10 points against Democrat Jaime Harrison. "He's more unpopular than ever because he's more corrupt than ever," Andrews said. "The 2026 election cycle is going to be very different from 2020 for a lot of reasons." For one, she said that it is not a presidential election year and that Graham "doesn't have Donald Trump on the ballot to save him." Andrews said that the COVID-19 pandemic also impacted campaigning, preventing traditional door knocking operations and the like. The lack of a field operation won't be a barrier. "People are really feeling the negative impacts of the chaos and corruption coming out of D.C. that Lindsey Graham has enabled every single step of the way in a way that they haven't before," Andrews said. "I live in the low country right near the South Carolina ports. Whether it's the ports and Trump's chaotic tariffs harming the ports, South Carolina small-business owners, South Carolina farmers, South Carolina's auto industry—it is affecting people in ways that it never has." Turning a Red State Blue Asked about the political makeup of her state and the challenges that come from voter demographics that have routinely voted for Republicans over Democrats in most recent election cycles, Andrews said she doesn't look at voters as being "red or blue." She added that she intends to talk to voters statewide and tell her story, about being a doctor and explaining many of the horrors she routinely sees on the job. As Andrews listens to concerned children and parents and provides solutions, she wants to relay a similar message in the political arena for a litany of issues. "I think you have to show up where they are," Andrews said. "You have to go to their communities and sit down and talk face-to-face with voters. It's very different from being on social-media platforms where people say horrific things to me and others every day. "When you're face-to-face with someone, you realize you have a shared humanity and conversations evolve and folks are open minded." Liberal Ideology Andrews says she has never taken a political-science class, nor does she view herself as a "moderate" or "progressive" Democrat. Labels aren't her thing. She doesn't view herself as political just because she is trying to be a lawmaker, saying that the goal is to help people and make their lives better than they are now. "I identify as a Democrat because they're the ones who are fighting for their kids, for our kids," Andrews said. "They're the ones who are fighting to pass an expanded permanent child tax credit. They're the ones who are trying to preserve and protect Medicaid. They're the ones who want to pass common-sense gun laws so that gun violence is no longer the leading cause of death for children in this country. They're the ones who want child care to be more affordable, prescription drugs to be more affordable. "I identify as a Democrat because I see them every day, fighting for kids and families," Andrews said.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump's dysfunctional government can learn from these Republican governors
Trump's dysfunctional government can learn from these Republican governors | Opinion You might not have noticed, but there are Republicans doing the job of governing. They're just not in the federal government. Show Caption Hide Caption Six takeaways from the President Donald Trump, Elon Musk feud From disappointment to threats, here are six takeaways from the public spat between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are struggling to do their jobs because they are losing focus on what they were elected to do. They are creating political sideshows and distractions from the issues that truly matter to Americans, and the issues that voters wanted Trump to fix. Instead of fixing the economy, for example, Trump is locked in a social media battle with Elon Musk. Why? Republicans in control of the federal government should take a note from popular GOP governors who are delivering on what voters actually want without all of the noise that is engulfing the presidency and Congress. Opinion: Musk is angry Trump used him. I'm frustrated we're focusing on the wrong thing. Republican governors succeed in spite of Trump Trump has made progress on securing the border, despite his deportation struggles, but the economy is where he struggles. His unpredictable and ill-advised tariff policy has investors worried, and his administration is pushing a bill that would raise the country's deficit. The old adage 'it's the economy, stupid' rings true even today. If Trump cannot handle the basics of the job, then Americans are unlikely to give him leeway on other issues. In contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is more popular than Trump in the Sunshine State and is overseeing a strong economic run while presiding over a strong public school system. Florida's job growth is outpacing the national average. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is another example. He enjoys extraordinarily high approval ratings, even though Trump had a narrow victory in the state in 2024. He's done so on the back of good job creation marks and, again, a strong public school system. These are two Republican governors doing the job we need the federal GOP to do, instead of the bickering we're seeing unfold on social media. This isn't to say that either of those two governors don't take swings in the culture war. DeSantis is probably best known for his actions against Disney and other social debates. Kemp also has a history of fighting "woke" and dabbling in the culture wars. But in surrounding themselves with competent allies and running the government well, voters give them a longer leash. Trump should follow DeSantis, Kemp's lead: Focus on what voters need The lesson here for Trump is to take care of the basic issues that impact voters, then he can get bogged down in his culture war stances. Both Kemp and DeSantis have gotten away with their antics because they are competent executives. Opinion: There is no 'reverse discrimination,' people. There is only discrimination. In state governments, this includes going to the DMV, the quality of public schools and paying taxes. If these types of experiences are painless, people have a more positive view of the government. Federally, this is reflected in the economy, as people's daily lives are most significantly impacted by the state of the economy. Culture war issues matter at the margins, but people broadly vote based on the economy. Because Trump is struggling with the economy, his actions in other areas are a glaring distraction. He could stand to ask governors like DeSantis and Kemp about how to lead along conservative principles without all the mess and failure. Dace Potas is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in political science.
