Two Democratic senators have launched a congressional investigation into whether U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. misled lawmakers about the purpose of his 2019 visit to Samoa. The inquiry follows reporting by The Associated Press and The Guardian that uncovered documents appearing to contradict Kennedy’s repeated claims that the trip had “nothing to do with vaccines.”
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland announced the investigation in a letter sent Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit organization Kennedy previously chaired. The senators are seeking records concerning Kennedy’s Samoa visit, his 2024 presidential campaign and his Senate confirmation process.
The investigation adds to growing congressional scrutiny of Kennedy’s leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), particularly his statements about vaccine policy and his relationship with organizations involved in vaccine-related activism.
The lawmakers have given Children’s Health Defense until December 4 to provide the requested documents. However, the investigation has not established that Kennedy committed a crime or knowingly made false statements to Congress.
Why Senators Are Investigating RFK Jr.’s Samoa Trip
The central question concerns Kennedy’s explanation for traveling to Samoa in 2019, several months before a deadly measles outbreak devastated the Pacific island nation.
During his 2025 Senate confirmation hearings, Kennedy repeatedly told lawmakers that vaccines had nothing to do with his visit. He explained that his purpose was to introduce a medical informatics system that could improve health records and healthcare delivery in Samoa.
However, documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian reportedly show that Kennedy had discussed vaccines before traveling to the country.
In particular, a January 2019 letter addressed to Samoa’s prime minister and written on Children’s Health Defense letterhead described Kennedy’s interest in examining the country’s measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination program.
The letter used the words “vaccine” or “vaccination” eight times. It also proposed conducting a detailed health informatics assessment to investigate what had happened after two Samoan children died following improperly prepared vaccine doses.
The documents raised questions about whether Kennedy’s statements during his confirmation hearings accurately described the purpose and background of his visit.
According to the AP report published in August 2026, Kennedy had repeatedly denied that the trip was related to vaccines when questioned by senators considering his nomination to lead HHS.
Wyden and Alsobrooks Request Documents From Children’s Health Defense
The new congressional investigation seeks a broad collection of records from Children’s Health Defense.
In their November 11 letter, Wyden and Alsobrooks requested documents concerning Kennedy’s 2019 Samoa travel, his 2024 presidential campaign and the process surrounding his confirmation as health secretary.
They also requested communications between Children’s Health Defense and federal government officials dating from the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second administration in January 2025.
The December 4 deadline gives the nonprofit a specific period to respond to the senators’ requests.
The lawmakers said their investigation aims to examine Kennedy’s statements to Congress and the organization’s communications with government officials.
In the letter, the senators wrote that they intended to hold Kennedy accountable for what they described as harm to vulnerable children and for any false statements made to Congress.
Their investigation is part of broader congressional oversight activity following Democrats’ return to control of both chambers after the 2026 midterm elections.
Wyden is expected to chair the Senate Finance Committee when Democrats take control in January 2027. That committee has oversight responsibilities involving the Department of Health and Human Services.
Alsobrooks serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which also oversees federal health programs and policies.
What the Samoa Documents Reveal About Kennedy’s Statements
The documents at the center of the controversy concern communications that took place before Kennedy traveled to Samoa in June 2019.
At the time, Kennedy was associated with Children’s Health Defense, an organization known for its criticism of vaccine policies and pharmaceutical companies.
The January 2019 letter to Samoa’s prime minister proposed examining the country’s MMR vaccination program following the deaths of two children who received improperly prepared vaccine doses.
Kennedy suggested that investigators examine whether problems involving vaccine manufacturing or specific vaccine lots could explain the deaths.
The letter also discussed the possibility of using health information systems to investigate adverse health events associated with vaccination.
These details are significant because Kennedy later told senators that his visit to Samoa had nothing to do with vaccines.
The AP and Guardian reporting also described other records that provided additional information about how the trip developed. Earlier reporting in February 2026 included emails involving U.S. Embassy staff and United Nations personnel that raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the visit.
The documents do not, by themselves, establish that Kennedy intentionally lied to lawmakers. However, they have intensified questions about the accuracy and completeness of his confirmation-hearing statements.
The controversy is particularly sensitive because the Samoa visit took place before a major measles outbreak that killed 83 people, most of them young children.
HHS Rejects Allegations Against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Department of Health and Human Services has rejected claims that Kennedy’s Samoa visit was connected to vaccines.
Following the August reporting, the department maintained that the trip was unrelated to vaccines. It also strongly disputed suggestions that Kennedy lied during his congressional confirmation process.
In a statement responding to the AP, HHS described allegations based on the letters as false and defamatory.
The department’s position is an important part of the dispute. While the senators are examining documents and seeking additional communications, Kennedy and HHS have not accepted the interpretation that the records prove he misled Congress.
Spokespeople for Children’s Health Defense and HHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new November investigation, according to the AP report.
The requested records could provide lawmakers with additional information about the planning of the Samoa visit and communications involving Kennedy’s former organization.
Until the investigation produces further findings, the allegations should be treated as questions under congressional review rather than established legal conclusions.
Samoa’s Deadly Measles Outbreak Adds Public Health Context
The controversy has attracted attention partly because of the deadly measles outbreak that occurred in Samoa in 2019.
The outbreak followed a period of falling vaccination rates. Samoa had suspended its measles vaccination program after two infants died from improperly prepared MMR vaccine doses in 2018.
The suspension contributed to a decline in immunization coverage, leaving more people vulnerable when measles spread through the country.
The outbreak eventually killed 83 people, most of them children, and sickened thousands.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications, particularly among young children who have not been vaccinated.
The events in Samoa became part of the scrutiny surrounding Kennedy because of his public statements about vaccine safety and his involvement with Children’s Health Defense before becoming health secretary.
The AP and Guardian investigations examined whether his communications before the trip were consistent with his later explanation to U.S. senators.
The broader issue also matters for American public health policy because the HHS secretary oversees major federal health agencies and plays an influential role in national vaccine recommendations and public health guidance.
Legal Questions: Can Misleading Congress Lead to Criminal Charges?
The senators’ investigation also raises questions about the legal consequences of making false statements to Congress.
Kennedy was not under oath during his Senate confirmation hearings. However, that fact does not automatically mean that knowingly making a materially false statement to Congress is legally harmless.
Federal law, including 18 U.S.C. Section 1001, addresses certain knowingly false, fictitious or fraudulent statements made in matters within the jurisdiction of the federal government.
The law can apply even when a person is not testifying under oath. Whether a particular statement violates the statute depends on the facts, including the nature of the statement, the speaker’s knowledge and the legal requirements of the offense.
A congressional investigation does not automatically lead to criminal charges. Lawmakers can request documents, conduct hearings and refer information to the Justice Department, but prosecutors determine whether evidence supports a criminal case.
The senators have not announced that Kennedy has been charged with a crime. Their current inquiry is focused on obtaining records and examining whether his statements to Congress were accurate.
What Happens Next in the RFK Jr. Investigation?
The next major step is the December 4 deadline for Children’s Health Defense to respond to the senators’ document request.
The requested material could help lawmakers examine the relationship between Kennedy, the nonprofit organization and federal officials.
The investigation may also become part of wider congressional oversight of the Trump administration after Democrats assume control of Congress in January 2027.
Wyden’s expected leadership of the Senate Finance Committee could give him a significant role in examining HHS policies and the department’s activities.
Meanwhile, the separate Senate inquiry into gifts reportedly received by Kennedy from a donor and former employee adds another issue to the scrutiny surrounding the health secretary.
That separate investigation concerns hundreds of thousands of dollars in reported gifts and benefits. It is distinct from the Samoa inquiry, although the same two senators announced both investigations.
For now, the central question remains whether Kennedy’s explanation of his 2019 Samoa visit matches the documents and communications that have emerged.
The new investigation could provide lawmakers with more information, but its findings have not yet been announced. Kennedy and HHS continue to reject the allegation that his Samoa visit was vaccine-related.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why are senators investigating RFK Jr.?
Sens. Ron Wyden and Angela Alsobrooks are investigating whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. misled Congress about the purpose of his 2019 visit to Samoa. Documents reported by the AP and The Guardian appear to contradict his confirmation-hearing statements that the trip had nothing to do with vaccines.
2. Which senators launched the RFK Jr. investigation?
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland announced the investigation on November 11, 2026.
3. What did RFK Jr. say about his Samoa visit?
During his 2025 confirmation hearings, Kennedy repeatedly said his 2019 Samoa visit had nothing to do with vaccines. He said his purpose was to introduce a medical informatics system.
4. What do the Samoa documents reportedly show?
A January 2019 letter Kennedy sent to Samoa’s prime minister on Children’s Health Defense letterhead discussed examining the country’s MMR vaccination program. The letter used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times.
5. When must Children’s Health Defense respond?
The senators requested the documents by December 4, 2026.
6. Has RFK Jr. been found guilty of lying to Congress?
No. The senators have opened an investigation, but no criminal finding or conviction has been announced. HHS has rejected the allegation that Kennedy lied about the trip.
7. How many people died in Samoa’s 2019 measles outbreak?
The outbreak killed 83 people, most of them young children, and sickened thousands.
8. What is the Department of Health and Human Services’ response?
HHS has maintained that Kennedy’s Samoa visit was unrelated to vaccines and has rejected claims that he lied to Congress.
Reference Sources:
- Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/e4b97becad6d2951d9e84ea584979c41
- Associated Press investigation: https://apnews.com/article/ba6ad3ffadca48599b1c178a392fb37b
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/27/rfk-jr-confirmation-hearing-investigation
- U.S. Senate Finance Committee: https://www.finance.senate.gov/ranking-members-news/wyden-and-alsobrooks-probe-gifts-to-rfk-jr-from-top-donor/
- Federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 1001: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001