On Aug. 27, 2026, a Pennsylvania coroner verified that a baby with measles suffered a fatal a ruptured spleen. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that the measles deaths could be "fabricated" and spread MMR misinformation. Politico and Axios report a growing clash pitting Kennedy and Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro about state secrecy linked to measles deaths.
Separately, documents obtained by The Guardian and AP indicate that Kennedy lied to Congress about a 2019 trip to Samoa. A senator requested a criminal investigation.