Sen. James Lankford Says He Doesn't Think Rfk Jr. Has 'gone A Wrong Direction' On Vaccines

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., connected Sunday declined to opportunity that he had 100% assurance successful Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., alternatively saying that Kennedy has not “gone a incorrect direction” connected vaccines.

The comments travel conscionable days aft nan Trump management fired nan head of nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, triggering an exodus of elder CDC officials from nan agency.

Asked nan first clip whether he has 100% assurance successful Kennedy, whom he voted to confirm, Lankford demurred, telling NBC News’ “Meet nan Press” that Kennedy isn’t limiting entree to nan Covid vaccine.

“It’s still wide accepted,” Lankford said.

“The situation is, is it correct for children to beryllium capable to person nan Covid vaccine? That’s been a speech wherever doctors wide disagree connected this,” he added, earlier encouraging Americans to get their flu vaccines.

Asked a 2nd clip astir whether he has 100% assurance successful Kennedy, Lankford told “Meet nan Press” moderator Kristen Welker, “I judge he is who nan president has picked. I don’t deliberation he’s gone a incorrect guidance successful this.”

NBC News reported past week that erstwhile CDC Director Susan Monarez’s ouster came aft she refused to motion disconnected connected vaccine guidance that contained anti-vaccine talking points. Kennedy is simply a longtime anti-vaccine activist.

Shortly aft Monarez was fired, respective different apical CDC officials resigned, including Dr. Debra Houry, nan main aesculapian officer; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, head of nan National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, nan head of nan National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Jen Layden, head of nan Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology.

Since taking his station earlier this year, Kennedy has already drastically reshaped nan apical national wellness agency’s outlook connected vaccines.

In June, Kennedy fired each 17 members of nan CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, nan Advisory Committee connected Immunization Practices, and replaced them pinch his ain appointees. Shortly after, nan sheet received a position from an anti-vaccine activist featuring claims that person been wide debunked by scientists.

On Sunday, Lankford claimed that Kennedy’s actions were conscionable “pushing nan boundaries.”

“I deliberation he is challenging immoderate of nan assumptions that a batch of Americans person asked,” nan legislator said. “What is it astir our food? What is it astir autism? What is it astir each these things that are different successful America than they are successful different places? I deliberation those are due questions.”

“[Kennedy is] pushing nan boundaries, but he besides seems to beryllium pursuing nan science. It’s not incorrect to beryllium capable to inquire difficult questions. It is incorrect to disregard nan science. I don’t spot him ignoring nan science. I spot him asking nan difficult questions,” nan Oklahoma legislator said.

He later clarified that he does not judge nan widely debunked mentation that vaccines origin autism, telling Welker, “I don’t link those 2 astatine all, but location are reasonable questions to say, Why do we person much cases of autism here? What is it? But I don’t deliberation they’re connected to vaccines.”

Lankford connected Sunday besides said astir an appeals court’s decision precocious Friday that concluded that President Donald Trump had misused his authority successful imposing sweeping tariffs connected overseas nations without Congress’ approval.

The legislator praised Trump’s activity connected nan tariffs successful caller months, saying that nan president is “accomplishing” his economical goals pinch tariffs.

“For nan tribunal to measurement successful and opportunity he doesn’t person nan expertise to beryllium capable to modulate waste and acquisition — that is wrong nan statute,” Lankford said, acknowledging that nan Trump management is readying to entreaty nan determination to nan Supreme Court.

He besides blamed tribunal decisions for illustration this 1 for causing instability for retailers arsenic they scheme their imports and group prices.

“What I’m hearing, Kristen, much than thing else, from each nan companies that I talked to, is they conscionable wanted to beryllium set. They conscionable want to cognize what nan rules of nan roadworthy are,” Lankford said. “Every clip there’s a caller tribunal hearing, each clip there’s a caller change, it’s destabilizing for each 1 of our businesses. So let’s get each these things resolved arsenic quickly arsenic we perchance can.”

The legislator besides called for nan Federal Reserve to stay independent from nan whims of nan executive branch, but emphasized that nan Fed is portion of a collaborative attack to nan economy, on pinch nan president and Congress.

“The president has a role, arsenic he’s doing pinch tariffs successful aggregate different ways, to beryllium capable to discuss much deals. The Federal Reserve besides has a domiciled successful this. So each of america person a domiciled successful it. We conscionable person a different role,” Lankford said. “The Federal Reserve is astatine its champion erstwhile it’s independent, but they’re not independent of nan full American people.”

Lankford besides expressed support for nan president’s determination to nonstop National Guard troops and national rule enforcement to Washington, D.C., earlier this period successful what Trump has called an effort to curb crime.

Lankford said that different cities and jurisdictions, including successful his location authorities of Oklahoma, should induce national rule enforcement to thief little crime rates successful their towns arsenic well.

“If nan politician of Oklahoma aliases nan mayors of these different cities were to induce him in,” Lankford said, “I would opportunity they would cooperate pinch nan president and say, ‘Hey, we could usage nan thief to beryllium capable to woody pinch immoderate benignant of crime issues.’”

“I would opportunity nan group of Oklahoma would invited immoderate thief that we tin get to beryllium capable to woody pinch criminal issues,” Lankford added, saying that different cities, for illustration Chicago, “should beryllium asking for thief alternatively than pushing thief away.”