RFK To America: ‘The Vaccine Is Effective’

In a heartfelt visit to Gaines County, Texas, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is proving that real leadership means showing up, listening, and taking action — not hiding behind bureaucratic platitudes or political spin.

Over the weekend, Kennedy quietly traveled to rural west Texas to meet with the grieving families of two young children, Kayley Fehr and Daisy Hildebrand, both victims of the ongoing measles outbreak that’s ravaging the state. In a deeply personal post on X (formerly Twitter), Kennedy shared the emotional weight of the trip, writing, “I came to Gaines County, Texas, today to comfort the Hildebrand family after the loss of their 8-year-old daughter Daisy… I got to know the family of 6-year-old Kayley Fehr after she passed away in February.”

This wasn’t a staged photo-op. There were no political lectures or fanfare. Kennedy came to mourn with the families and to offer real help — the kind of boots-on-the-ground support Texans have come to expect from the America First administration of President Donald J. Trump.

Let’s be honest — this outbreak didn’t come out of nowhere. After years of open-border chaos, degraded public health systems, and an HHS that spent more time promoting woke ideology than infectious disease preparedness under Joe Biden, the state of our nation’s health infrastructure was already frayed. President Trump and Secretary Kennedy inherited a mess, and they’re cleaning it up one crisis at a time.

Kennedy’s approach? Clear-eyed realism and pragmatic solutions.

Back in March, he didn’t waste time with task forces and think tanks. He sent in the CDC — not to play politics — but to assist Texas health officials with vaccines, supplies, and public health support. HHS bolstered pharmacies and state clinics with MMR vaccines, worked hand-in-hand with local schools and medical facilities, and helped initiate contact tracing to contain the outbreak. All of this while respecting Texas’ leadership and sovereignty — a far cry from the top-down overreach we saw in the last administration.

“The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy stated plainly in his message. No fearmongering, no mandates — just facts, and trust in Americans to make the right decisions for their families. Kennedy emphasized that HHS will continue to provide resources wherever needed, following the lead of state officials like Governor Greg Abbott, who has worked tirelessly to protect Texans under intense pressure.

I came to­ Gaines County, Texas, today to comfort the Hildebrand family after the loss of their 8-year-old daughter Daisy. I got to know the family of 6-year-old Kayley Fehr after she passed away in February. I also developed bonds with and deep affection for other members of…

— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) April 6, 2025

Let’s look at the hard numbers. As of Sunday, there were 642 confirmed measles cases across 22 states. A staggering 499 of those are in Texas — the epicenter of this outbreak. In Lubbock alone, six infants and toddlers from one daycare center have tested positive in the last two weeks. Over 50 Texans have already been hospitalized since the outbreak began in January.

And make no mistake — measles is not just a harmless childhood illness. It’s highly contagious and can be deadly. According to CDC data, 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 children infected with measles will die from respiratory or neurological complications. Pneumonia alone kills one in 20 measles-infected children. For parents in west Texas right now, this isn’t about politics — it’s about keeping their kids alive.

Thankfully, the Trump administration isn’t waiting around for permission from the globalist elite or the bureaucrats in Brussels. Under Trump and Kennedy, America’s health policy is returning to what it should have always been: locally driven, parent-focused, and rooted in actual science — not ideology.

The American people are watching, and they know who shows up when it matters. RFK Jr. didn’t send a tweet — he got on a plane. He didn’t point fingers — he offered solutions. That’s the kind of leadership this country deserves.

As the outbreak continues, HHS remains committed to keeping Americans safe — and unlike the bureaucrats of the past, they’ll do it without lectures, lockdowns, or overreach. Just honest, compassionate service in the spirit of American exceptionalism.