Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized CNN anchor Dana Bash during an interview on ‘State of the Union.’ Kennedy accused Bash of media malpractice related to COVID-era reporting, claiming she failed to challenge public health authorities and marginalized dissenters during the pandemic.
Kennedy emphasized the importance of skepticism towards authority, suggesting Bash did not fulfill this role. He accused her of targeting individuals with dissenting views on pandemic responses.
Bash responded by stating her intention was to explore how Kennedy would handle a future pandemic, rather than revisiting past responses. She defended her approach, citing data supporting the effectiveness of COVID vaccines in reducing deaths.
A CDC and Harvard study estimated that primary vaccination could have prevented at least 232,000 deaths among unvaccinated U.S. adults. Bash acknowledged the panic during the pandemic and admitted officials made mistakes, but emphasized that coverage focused on leadership communication.
Kennedy accused CNN of instilling fear in viewers through its coverage. He pointed to CNN’s pandemic chyrons and the focus on government briefings, including those from the Trump administration. Kennedy claimed Fauci lied about masks, social distancing, and vaccine transmission, with Bash allegedly punishing those who distrusted Fauci.
The interview followed Fauci’s Fifth Amendment invocation during a Senate hearing concerning the pandemic response and its origins. Senator Rand Paul announced plans to vote on a contempt resolution.
Bash’s questioning coincided with a report on the highest measles cases in the U.S. in 35 years. The CDC noted 2,371 confirmed cases by July 30, surpassing previous totals. MMR vaccination rates fell from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5% in 2024-2025.
When asked about vaccines, Kennedy supported MMR vaccination, stating that the measles vaccine effectively prevents the disease in about 97% of cases.
In April, Bash highlighted the importance of identifying false claims in reporting, advocating for objective journalism that explains misleading information.
Fox News Digital reached out to RFK Jr. and CNN for comments but did not receive immediate responses. CJ Womack, an associate editor at Fox News, has years of experience in news media analysis, focusing on the intersection of journalism, politics, and culture.