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HealthQuiet 4d · day 10

RFK Jr. to keynote Children's Health Defense conference in D.C.

The HHS secretary, who spent 2025 distancing himself from the anti-vaccine group he once chaired, will headline its Washington conference this week.

newest coverage 3d agosummary written 9d ago92 pieces731 likes & upvotes73 comments NewswiresMastodonRedditYouTubeBlueskyGoogle NewsX

What to know

  • Kennedy chaired Children's Health Defense until December 2024 and severed ties just before joining the Trump administration.
  • During his 2025 confirmation hearings, Kennedy told senators he supported vaccines and had 'no power' over CHD.
  • The Thursday keynote at the Grand Hyatt Washington marks his first public embrace of the group since becoming HHS secretary.
  • CHD leaders, including attorney Mary Holland, have gained access to MAHA-era Washington and positions within HHS.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS SecretaryChildren's Health Defense Anti-vaccine advocacy organizationMary Holland CHD attorney/leaderBernie SandersBernie Sanders U.S. Senator (I-Vt.)

RFK Jr. to keynote Children's Health Defense conference in D.C.
statnews.com

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 32 pieces in 3h at Sep 17, 2 PM; 92 pieces over 10 days (53 articles · 2 videos · 36 posts · 1 comment) Sep 14, 11 AM — 5 pieces · 3 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 3, Mastodon 1, Reddit 1Sep 14, 2 PM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, Newswires 1Sep 14, 5 PM — quietSep 14, 8 PM — quietSep 14, 11 PM — quietSep 15, 2 AM — quietSep 15, 5 AM — quietSep 15, 8 AM — quietSep 15, 11 AM — quietSep 15, 2 PM — quietSep 15, 5 PM — quietSep 15, 8 PM — quietSep 15, 11 PM — quietSep 16, 2 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — quietSep 16, 8 AM — quietSep 16, 11 AM — quietSep 16, 2 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 16, 11 PM — quietSep 17, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Sep 17, 5 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Sep 17, 8 AM — quietSep 17, 11 AM — 14 pieces · 13 articles · 1 video — Newswires 13, YouTube 1Sep 17, 2 PM — 32 pieces · 25 articles · 6 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 16, Google News 7, Mastodon 6, +2 moreSep 17, 5 PM — 12 pieces · 6 articles · 6 posts — Newswires 6, Mastodon 4, Bluesky 2Sep 17, 8 PM — 6 pieces · 1 article · 5 posts — Mastodon 4, Bluesky 1, Google News 1Sep 17, 11 PM — quietSep 18, 2 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, X 1Sep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 8 AM — 3 pieces · 1 article · 1 video · 1 post — Newswires 1, YouTube 1, Reddit 1Sep 18, 11 AM — 4 pieces · 2 articles · 2 posts — Mastodon 2, Newswires 2Sep 18, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 11 PM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 19, 11 AM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 11 PM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 20, 11 AM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet 1–3
Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22now · 4:45 AM ET
  1. 3

    Social media reacts to Kennedy's return to CHD stage

    News of the keynote drew sharp reaction on social media, with critics questioning the appropriateness of a sitting HHS secretary headlining the group's event.

    “Really?! Will there be child sacrifice?”
    — @DemocracyMattersALot@mstdn.social
    1. 23 outlets RFK Jr. Tells Anti-Vaccine Group They Have a ‘Friend at the White House’

      first by New York Times, 6d ago · also Globe and Mail, Anchorage Daily News, NYT, Sky News, NYT Health, ABC News +16

      11 more headlines
    • caulfieldtim.bsky.social

      His anti-science agenda is clear. His lies are killing people. His legacy is darkness. 👇 RFK Jr promises anti-vaxxers a ‘friend at the White House’ amid deadly measles outbreak

      caulfieldtim.bsky.socialBluesky6d ago347▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 15 posts in this stretch

    • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared before the anti-vaccine group he founded, saying to those who may be frustrated with the slow pace of vaccine changes that they have a “strong and steadfast friend at the White House.”

      @washingtonpostX5d ago34▲view on X ↗
    • bich@apobangpo.space

      "Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is scheduled to give a keynote address this week at a conference for Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy organization he co-founded and led prior to becoming head of the nation’s health agency." https:// thehill.com/policy/healthcare/…

      bich@apobangpo.spaceMastodon7d ago3▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 2

    The Hill confirms Kennedy's scheduled CHD keynote

    The Hill separately reported Kennedy is scheduled to headline the conference for the organization he co-founded and once led.

    1. 1 outlet RFK Jr. to headline Children’s Health Defense conference in D.C.

      first by The Hill, 9d ago

  3. 1

    STAT reports Kennedy will keynote CHD's D.C. conference

    STAT News reported Kennedy is scheduled to deliver the keynote at a Children's Health Defense conference at the Grand Hyatt Washington on Thursday, his first public embrace of the group since becoming HHS secretary.

    “We couldn't be more excited to welcome our founder back to the CHD stage…”
    — Children's Health Defense
    1. 2 outlets Kennedy to deliver keynote for anti-vaccine group he once led

      first by STAT News, 9d ago · also STAT

    • STAT@newsie.social

      Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will give a keynote address at a Children’s Health Defense conference in the nation’s capital this week, embracing the anti-vaccine organization he once led. https://www. statnews.com/2026/09/14/rfk-sp eech-childrens-health-defense-conference-washington/

      STAT@newsie.socialMastodon9d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  4. background

    Kennedy tells senators he supports vaccines and has no CHD power — During confirmation hearings, Kennedy distanced himself from CHD and his anti-vaccine activism after Sen. Bernie Sanders raised CHD's 'Unvaxxed, Unafraid' merchandise, promising not to discourage vaccination.

  5. background

    Kennedy severs formal ties with CHD before taking office — Kennedy chaired CHD until December 2024, took leave during his presidential campaign, and cut ties permanently shortly before Trump took office.

  6. background

    Kennedy joins Children's Health Defense — Kennedy joined the anti-vaccine group in 2015 and went on to chair it, earning a six-figure salary while helping file lawsuits against state-level vaccine policies.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets RFK Jr. to give keynote speech at conference for anti-vaccine group he founded

    first by washingtonpost.com, 6d ago · also PBS, Associated Press, Washington Post

    1 more headline
  2. 3 outlets Watch: RFK Jr. speaks at children's health forum amid vaccine scrutiny

    first by The Hill, 6d ago · also Axios, MedPage Today

    3 more headlines
  3. 3 outlets RFK Jr promises anti-vaxxers a ‘friend at the White House’ amid deadly measles outbreak

    first by The Guardian, 6d ago · also The Atlantic, Guardian

    1 more headline

and 2 smaller pieces

What people are saying 12 voices from 3 sites · best of 16 · verbatim