America’s Measles Resurgence:

The impact of RFK Jr.’s vaccine conspiracies and the Trump-Musk defunding of health services.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing for his then-pending confirmation as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. Image credit: Rod Lamkey, Jr, and the Associated Press (AP).

NOTE: Nazia Saeed, a human resources professional living in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, contributed significant research and writing to this article.

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Measles, a highly contagious and potentially deadly infectious disease once thought to be eliminated from the United States by public health professionals and medical historians, is making an alarming comeback.

Back in February, just as Senate Republicans (GOP) confirmed vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. as the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Texas and New Mexico experienced measles outbreaks. Then, in April 2025, three additional states confirmed their first measles cases in years.

Louisiana, Virginia, and Missouri announced their initial measles cases of 2025 on April 19. All the instances of measles in those three states were connected to international travel. At least twenty-seven states have since reported at least one measles case.

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A mobile measles testing site in Seminole, Texas. Image credit: NBC News.

The resurgence of measles cases in the United States is not random.

The return of measles as a major public health crisis is closely linked to three alarming trends: the spread of vaccine conspiracy theories, the reduction of federal funding, and the recent workforce cuts at RFK Jr.’s HHS, which were influenced by US President Donald Trump, his “MAGA” movement, and Elon Musk’s DOGE.

Public health officials link the recent surge in measles cases nationwide to a significant drop in childhood vaccination rates, which have fallen below the 90-95% threshold needed for “herd immunity” in numerous communities. States experiencing substantial increases, including Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, also have deeply entrenched anti-vaccine sentiments, often exacerbated by political figures like Robert F. Kennedy and other social media “wellness” influencers.

According to polling from the Tennessee Lookout, belief in false claims about the measles vaccine correlates strongly with lower vaccination rates.

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The Role of Vaccine Conspiracy Theories.

A mother holds her 3-year-old daughter as she receives the MMR vaccine during a vaccination campaign organized by the Lubbock, Texas Department of Public Health. Image credit: Jan Sonnemair and AFP.

RFK’s conspiracy theories that falsely claim vaccines cause autism, infertility, or even facilitate government surveillance have proliferated, especially on alternative media platforms.

Nearly 30% of respondents to the Tennessee Lookout survey believed at least one of Secretary Kennedy’s falsehoods about the measles vaccine. RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine movement has now become a key pillar of broader political campaigns, including “MAGA” and “DOGE” that seek to sow distrust in public institutions.

Fringe conspiracy groups such as Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense have capitalized on the coronavirus pandemic-era skepticism, portraying vaccines as a symbol of governmental overreach, eroding decades of trust in public health authorities.

Moreover, the spread of conspiracy theories is no longer confined to online forums; RFK Jr. now legitimizes them in his new role as head of HHS. Despite being “hamstrung” by Mr. Kennedy’s ineffective leadership, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one of his controlled agencies, continues its efforts to stop the measles outbreaks.

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Defunding America’s Public Health Infrastructure.

In March, the CDC issued a Health Alert Network advisory warning healthcare providers to remain vigilant amid the sharp increases in measles infections.

However, the recent cuts to HHS’s budget have weakened essential public health programs, including immunization outreach, disease surveillance, and emergency response. Federal funding for state immunization programs has significantly declined over the past five years, leading local health departments to reduce their vaccination clinics, public education efforts, and fundamental epidemiological tracking.

In some rural and underserved areas, families must now travel hours to access routine childhood vaccinations—a barrier that disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities. The erosion of public health funding has also resulted in fewer personnel available to conduct outbreak investigations and contact tracing when measles cases emerge, allowing the virus to spread unchecked for extended periods.

The intersection of vaccine conspiracy theories and defunding HHS is creating a dangerous feedback loop. As the Trump administration weakens public health agencies, they are less effective at combating misinformation.

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President Trump (left) and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Image credit: Andrew Harnik and Getty Images.

A troubling rise in vaccine misinformation is at the heart of the measles resurgence.

Understanding this recent measles resurgence requires investigating the intersection of misinformation, policy changes, and public health outcomes. The systematic defunding of the Department of Health and Human Services over recent years has compounded the infectious disease misinformation crisis.

Over half of the American states are now experiencing outbreaks of measles. This preventable disease could be managed easily if only Trump, Musk, and RFK Jr. would provide proper public health information, restore funding to the HHS, and implement federal vaccine mandates.

While Kennedy has stated that his children are vaccinated, his unrelenting efforts to ban vaccine mandates, even in schools, and promote “medical freedom” rhetoric have disastrous public health consequences.