In 2019, a devastating measles outbreak erupted in Samoa. Eighty-three people, most of them children, died. Another 5,000 contracted the disease, many of which suffer long-term damage as a result. In total, around 3% of the small island’s population fell ill.

The hearings were packed to capacity with protesters and fans, while the spillover crowd hung out in hallways and overflow rooms.

Democrats focused on Kennedy's anti-vaccine advocacy. Republicans probed the former Democratic leader on his abortion and agriculture views.

Robert F. Kennedy, President Trump’s nominee for health secretary, vigorously defended his views on vaccines, and a key senator still has clear doubts.

Kennedy, a Democrat who ran as an independent but ended up supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, was grilled by senators over his views on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and more during two days of confirmation hearings.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wasn’t antivaccine as senators pressed on his past remarks, in the first of two days of hearings over his nomination for health secretary.