Republican US senator slams Trump vaccine policy amid rising measles deaths
Senator Bill Cassidy sharply criticized the Trump administration's vaccine stance during a Senate hearing, blaming its policies for a surge in US measles deaths after the disease had been nearly eradicated. Cassidy pressed surgeon general nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier on whether the MMR vaccine causes autism, and she said she has not seen reputable evidence linking vaccines to autism and called the MMR vaccine the primary tool against measles.
Why It Matters
The exchange highlights growing concern among some Republican lawmakers about public health leadership and the political influence on vaccine messaging amid the country's worst measles outbreak in decades. Confirmation decisions for key health posts could shape federal public-health responses during this outbreak.
Key Facts
- Senator: Bill Cassidy (R), chair of the Senate Health Committee, represents Louisiana
- Measles deaths: Three confirmed deaths in the US linked to the current outbreak; a fourth under review
- Outbreak severity: Described as the most severe measles outbreak in the US in more than 35 years
- Surgeon general nominee: Dr. Nicole Saphier, radiologist and former Fox News contributor
- Hearing date (photo caption): September 16, 2026
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy publicly faulted the Trump administration’s vaccination policies for contributing to a recent rise in measles deaths in the United States, saying preventable suffering has returned as the disease resurges. Cassidy, a physician who leads the Senate Health Committee, argued that top public-health appointments should be staffed by officials who base decisions on science rather than political ideology.
During a confirmation hearing, Cassidy pressed Dr. Nicole Saphier, the administration’s nominee for surgeon general, on whether she believes the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Saphier replied that she has not seen reputable evidence connecting vaccines to autism and described the MMR vaccine as the primary tool to fight measles; under follow-up questioning Cassidy described her initial response as equivocal before she reiterated that she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism.
Cassidy linked the administration’s stance on vaccines to the current outbreak, now the United States’ worst in more than 35 years, in which health officials have confirmed three deaths and are reviewing a possible fourth. Public-health experts cited in reporting have attributed the resurgence in part to growing skepticism about routine childhood immunizations that previously helped nearly eliminate illnesses like measles.
The hearing is part of the Health Committee’s review of several Trump health nominations, including Saphier for surgeon general, Chris Klomp for deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Timothy Westlake to lead the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The US has not had a surgeon general since January 2025 after two prior Trump nominees faced Senate resistance. Cassidy, who lost a Republican primary in May after drawing the president’s ire over his 2021 impeachment vote, has emerged as an outspoken Republican critic of the administration’s approach to vaccines and public health.
Keep Reading
Lebanon returns 37 artefacts smuggled out of Egypt six years ago
Al-Mughayyir: A village under siege
Efforts underway for Zelenskyy-Trump meeting at UN next week
