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Senators open probe into whether RFK Jr. misled Congress on Samoa trip

Associated Press reports that Senators Ron Wyden and Angela Alsobrooks opened a probe after August documents refuted Kennedy's testimony about a 2019 Samoa trip.

Published Nov 13, 2026 · 01:50 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Angela Alsobrooks have launched an investigation into whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied to Congress.[Associated Press]
  • The probe follows August reporting by AP and The Guardian on published documents that refute Kennedy's testimony about the trip's purpose.[Associated Press]
  • HHS maintains the Samoa visit was unrelated to vaccines, and the outcome of the inquiry is unknown.[Associated Press]

Key facts

  • Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Angela Alsobrooks announced an investigation into whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied to Congress about his reason for a 2019 Samoa trip.[Associated Press]
  • The investigation was announced in a Wednesday letter to Children's Health Defense, a nonprofit known for anti-vaccine activism that Kennedy formerly chaired.[Associated Press]
  • The Associated Press and The Guardian published documents in August that refute Kennedy's testimony about the trip's reason.[Associated Press]
  • The Department of Health and Human Services has maintained that the Samoa visit was unrelated to vaccines.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether Kennedy lied to Congress is unresolved; the reporting describes only the launch of an investigation, and HHS disputes that the trip related to vaccines.[Associated Press]
  • The reporting does not establish the outcome of the inquiry or whether it will produce findings.[Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.