By — Gabrielle Hays Gabrielle Hays Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-sen-warnock-presses-rfk-jr-on-past-statements-likening-cdc-to-nazi-death-camp Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Sen. Warnock presses RFK Jr. on past statements likening CDC to ‘Nazi death camp’ Politics Jan 29, 2025 3:20 PM EDT Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday about his past statements about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Watch the video in our player above. During a confirmation hearing for Kennedy, President Donald Trump’s nominee for health and human services secretary, Warnock raised previous statements from Kennedy that likened the CDC to a Nazi death camp and child vaccination programs to abuse in the Catholic Church. WATCH: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies at confirmation hearing for HHS secretary Kennedy denied the characterizations. “I was not comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps. I was comparing the injury rate to our children to other atrocities here,” he said. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. For years, Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has spread misinformation and falsehoods about vaccines and their safety, including the heavily debunked claim that they cause autism. Kennedy has also promoted drinking raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration says can pose a “serious health risk.” His views on these issues and others have prompted concern among health experts about his nomination. Kennedy, the son of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, ran for president as an independent in 2024 before dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Gabrielle Hays Gabrielle Hays Gabrielle Hays is a Communities Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour out of St. Louis.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday about his past statements about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Watch the video in our player above. During a confirmation hearing for Kennedy, President Donald Trump’s nominee for health and human services secretary, Warnock raised previous statements from Kennedy that likened the CDC to a Nazi death camp and child vaccination programs to abuse in the Catholic Church. WATCH: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies at confirmation hearing for HHS secretary Kennedy denied the characterizations. “I was not comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps. I was comparing the injury rate to our children to other atrocities here,” he said. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. For years, Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has spread misinformation and falsehoods about vaccines and their safety, including the heavily debunked claim that they cause autism. Kennedy has also promoted drinking raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration says can pose a “serious health risk.” His views on these issues and others have prompted concern among health experts about his nomination. Kennedy, the son of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, ran for president as an independent in 2024 before dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now