Sen. Bill Cassidy tells CNN the Trump administration is not doing enough to promote measles vaccinations

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, used an interview with CNN to criticize the Trump administration’s approach to promoting measles vaccinations during a 2026 outbreak, saying the public should be vaccinated and that doing so prevents death. Cassidy made the remarks to CNN host Jake Tapper in an interview published Oct. 14.

Cassidy framed his position as both a policymaker and a physician, telling Tapper that his concern is medical, not political. He said that “everyone should be vaccinated for measles” and urged the public to get vaccinated rather than delay or rely on informal protection, according to CNN’s account of the interview.

In the interview, Cassidy pointed to the scale of the 2026 measles outbreak and said it has claimed multiple lives this year. He argued that, given the consequences, the administration should be pressing harder on vaccination outreach and public information so people understand the urgency, the report said.

Cassidy’s criticism was directed at the Trump administration’s vaccination efforts, as characterized in the interview. He contended that the administration is not promoting vaccinations vigorously enough, and he used blunt messaging to underline the risk of not being immunized, the report said.

The exchange reflects an ongoing congressional focus on communicable disease preparedness, including how federal agencies communicate public health guidance to families and communities. Cassidy’s committee oversees major parts of the nation’s health policy portfolio, including programs related to public health and vaccine delivery.

The Hill reported that Cassidy’s comments were made in the context of vaccination messaging during the outbreak. The report did not provide additional specifics in the account about what actions the Trump administration has or has not taken, beyond Cassidy’s claim that its outreach is not forceful enough.

No additional official action from the Trump administration or from Cassidy’s committee was described in the reported remarks. The next steps, based on the reporting, would be for federal health agencies and congressional oversight officials to clarify what guidance and outreach are currently underway and how it is being delivered to at-risk populations during the outbreak, particularly as debate continues over the role of federal messaging.