HHS Secretary Accuses CNN Anchor of Media Malpractice During Pandemic

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized CNN anchor Dana Bash for media malpractice during the COVID-19 pandemic. He claimed she failed to challenge public health authorities and contributed to marginalizing dissenters.

“You were part of the problem,” Kennedy said on “State of the Union.” “Your job is a fierce skepticism toward authority, and you weren’t doing that.” He accused Bash of harshly treating those who opposed mainstream narratives.

Following Bash’s question on how HHS would handle future pandemics, she urged Kennedy to focus on preventing another health crisis rather than revisiting the past response. Despite acknowledging pandemic mistakes, Bash emphasized the importance of vaccines, citing data that primary vaccination could have avoided at least 232,000 deaths among unvaccinated adults.

During the interview, Kennedy accused the media, including CNN, of instilling fear in the public. He pointed to CNN’s use of pandemic chyrons as an example. Bash explained that coverage included daily briefings from government officials, including then-President Trump.

Additionally, Kennedy accused Bash and media outlets of penalizing individuals who didn’t trust Fauci, alleging dishonesty on issues like masks and vaccine transmission.

The interview aired shortly after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment during a Senate hearing on pandemic responses. Sen. Rand Paul suggested his committee might proceed with a contempt resolution.

Bash’s interview took place amid a measles surge in the U.S. As of July, the CDC reported 2,371 cases, marking the highest total in 35 years. Kennedy encouraged parents to vaccinate their children against measles, noting the vaccine’s effectiveness.

Bash previously stated reporters should identify false or misleading claims instead of presenting conflicting positions.

Fox News Digital attempted to contact RFK Jr. and CNN for comments but received no immediate response.