The Morning: The R.F.K. Jr. effect

Plus, breaking news on a plane crash in Washington.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 30, 2025 Good morning. Today, we're covering breaking news about a plane crash in Washington. Then, we explore R.F.K. Jr.'s contentious confirmation hearing. —David Leonhardt Wreckage in the Potomac River. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images A midair collision An American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter collided just outside Washington D.C. last night and plunged into the Potomac River. Sixty-four people were on the plane, which was coming from Wichita, Kan., including U.S. and Russian figure skaters returning from a training camp. The military aircraft carried a crew of three. Emergency responders are searching cold and murky waters for survivors, and Reagan National Airport will be closed until 11 a.m. See photos and the latest news from the rescue efforts. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  Kenny Holston/The New York Times The R.F.K. Jr. effect By David Leonhardt Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a history of calling attention to overlooked public-health problems, whether it's autism, river pollution, food additives or the toll of Covid school closures. But Kennedy also has a history of backing solutions that are inconsistent with scientific evidence, especially on vaccines. He has repeatedly made false claims about their effectiveness and their side effects. At Kennedy's Senate confirmation hearing yesterday, Democrats — and a few Republicans — confronted him about these claims. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, read a 2023 quote in which Kennedy said that "no vaccine is safe and effective," and Bernie Sanders displayed a photo of a baby's onesie, promoted by a group Kennedy ran, with the words "No Vax, No Problem." At times, Kennedy tried to distance himself from his past vaccine skepticism. His chances are likely to come down to a small number of Republicans who seem conflicted about whether to support him. If no Democrats or independents support Kennedy, he can lose only three Republican senators and still be confirmed. (These are the Republicans to watch.) In today's newsletter, I'll explain three ways that Kennedy may affect the use of vaccines if the Senate confirms him as President Trump's secretary of health and human services. 1. Hamper development Bird flu — specifically the H5N1 virus — has spread rapidly over the past year. It has infected nearly 1,000 cattle herds in the U.S. and caused serious illnesses in a small number of people. If the virus mutates to jump more easily between humans, it may become a major problem. (Here is The Morning's recent bird flu explainer.) A H5N1 vaccine exists, although the supply is modest. If the virus spreads, the federal government, including the Department of Health and Human Services, will likely need to play a central role in accelerating production. Yet Kennedy has criticized the vaccine as dangerous, despite evidence to the contrary. A protester during the confirmation hearing.  Kenny Holston/The New York Times If bird flu exploded into a full pandemic — or an unexpected new virus emerged — the country might also benefit from powerful vaccines using mRNA. That's the technology that the federal Warp Speed project used to create the Covid vaccines, and Kennedy has inaccurately criticized mRNA vaccines for killing many people. "It's hard to see him championing their development like Warp Speed did," said my colleague Apoorva Mandavilli, who's covering bird flu. Kennedy could also push the F.D.A., which he would oversee, not to approve vaccines that are in the pipeline. One potential example is a vaccine for Lyme disease. 2. Encourage lawsuits In 1986, the federal government created a program to compensate families whose children suffer rare side effects from vaccines. The health secretary has the power to choose which vaccines and which side effects are part of the program, which uses a special court to decide claims. If Kennedy expanded the list of supposed injuries eligible for compensation, it could lead to a flood of claims. He could also remove vaccines from the court's purview, meaning their makers could be sued in a traditional court. "Such an event could lead vaccine makers to take their products off the market," my colleague Christina Jewett told me. Kennedy has a personal stake in these anti-vaccine lawsuits, The Wall Street Journal's editorial board noted. He has received payments from a law firm that sued a large vaccine maker, and he plans to continue receiving them even if he becomes health secretary. Some of the cases involve a vaccine called Gardasil, which protects against a group of viruses that cause cervical cancer. 3. Restrict access Kennedy would also have authority over Vaccines for Children, an $8 billion program that helps provide lower-income children with access to vaccines for polio, measles, whooping cough and chickenpox. He has promised not to take vaccines away from people who want them. But he could still alter the program in ways that would make vaccines harder to get or foment doubt about them, as Christina and Sheryl Gay Stolberg have pointed out. The health secretary oversees the contracts that pay vaccine makers to make and distribute the shots. More broadly, Dr. Tom Frieden, a former C.D.C. director, expressed concern about the possibility of a "soft recall" in which "certain vaccines remain technically available but are no longer widely recommended or reimbursed by insurance, making them effectively inaccessible to much of the public." (Frieden asked one of the 13 questions for Kennedy in a recent Times Opinion article.) The bottom line: Vaccine skepticism, often disconnected from the facts, has been Kennedy's signature issue for years. It's a major reason he wants the job of health secretary. If he gets it, the most likely scenario is that vaccine use will decline and the incidence of the underlying illnesses — like measles, which can be fatal — will increase. More on the hearing Kennedy blamed pesticides and processed foods for the rise in chronic disease among American children. He denied that he was anti-vaccine and noted that his children were vaccinated. Democrats pressed Kennedy over his position on abortion. He called himself "pro-choice" when he entered the presidential race in 2023, but he said yesterday that states should be able to set restrictions. Kennedy stumbled over a Republican senator's questions on Medicare and Medicaid. He confused the programs several times. Other Republicans praised Kennedy as a rebellious truth teller. The crowd in the hearing room, which included many of his supporters, called out,"Make America healthy again" after the hearing ended. Here is a fact-check of Kennedy's statements. He will appear before the Senate's health committee today for another hearing. Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard, two of Trump's other high-profile picks, will also make their cases for confirmation today. THE LATEST NEWS The Trump Administration The White House rescinded its directive to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans after the order caused mass confusion. Read about the chaotic rollout. Trump wants to remake public education. Change will be difficult: States and school boards have a lot of power. Trump's suspension of American foreign aid could end a lifesaving H.I.V. program. Some fear that the virus will surge in Africa again. The Trump administration's effort to get federal workers to leave their posts could lead to an exodus of experienced employees. Trump has fired officials in ways that apparently violated federal laws. Getting dragged into court may be exactly what his lawyers want, Charlie Savage writes. Immigration Trump ordered his administration to prepare to house thousands of migrants at Guantánamo Bay. He did not offer details on the plan. Trump signed the bipartisan Laken Riley Act into law. It directs the authorities to deport immigrants accused of certain crimes. ICE agents — in a show of force — worked with dozens of officers from other federal agencies to arrest 39 people in New York. More on Politics Bob Menendez Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times A judge sentenced Bob Menendez, the former New Jersey senator convicted of acting as an agent for Egypt and of trading favors for cash, gold and a luxury car, to 11 years in prison. On a tense call, Democratic governors urged Senator Chuck Schumer to fight harder against Trump's agenda. Justice Department officials and Manhattan prosecutors have discussed dropping the corruption case against Eric Adams, New York City's Democratic mayor. Middle East Agam Berger Mohammed Hajjar/Associated Press Hamas released two Israeli hostages. Eight captives in total — three Israelis and five Thais — are expected to be freed today. The first hostage release was careful and calm, but video footage showed a second freed hostage walking through an unruly and chaotic crowd. See the video. Trump's Middle East envoy made a trip to Gaza. He is the first high-ranking U.S. official to visit the enclave in years. The rebel coalition that took control of Syria appointed its leader, Ahmed al-Shara, to serve as president while the country forms a permanent government. Business Meta agreed to pay Trump $25 million to settle a lawsuit he filed in 2021 over his suspension from Facebook and Instagram after the Jan. 6 riot. As Silicon Valley leaders get close with Trump, employees in the traditionally left-leaning tech industry have staged quiet protests. Frontier Airlines is trying to buy Spirit Airlines again, three years after a failed merger. Other Big Stories The Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady. Jerome Powell, the Fed chair, offered no hints about future cuts. Moments before fire erupted below transmission towers near Altadena, Calif., high-voltage power lines faulted in the area, new data shows. Opinions American corporations should learn from the embattled leaders of higher education and stay silent on political issues, Anthony Casey and Tom Ginsburg write. As Los Angeles rebuilds, the city needs to prioritize money for schools, Jessica Grose writes. Here are columns by Nicholas Kristof on Africa's booming population, and Pamela Paul on how to stay sane. The Times Sale: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS The Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA Origins: Life's ingredients lurk inside NASA's Bennu asteroid samples. Health: Seven big questions about cancer, answered. Interview: Bill Gates is amazed at how things turned out. Social Q's: "My friend behaved like a lecher at our wedding. Should we tell his wife?" Lives Lived: Iris Cummings Critchell was a swimmer who was the last survivor of the American team that competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. She was also an influential aviator who flew bombers with the Women's Air Force in World War II. She died at 104. SPORTS W.N.B.A.: Caitlin Clark will not participate in the crossover 3-point challenge at the N.B.A. All-Star Game. N.B.A.: NBC is expected to hire Reggie Miller to be a lead analyst for N.B.A. coverage. ARTS AND IDEAS Breaking character during a live performance is generally seen as unprofessional. But it's become a hallmark of "Saturday Night Live" over the show's 50 seasons, and audiences delight when the facade cracks — even if Lorne Michaels reportedly hates it. Jason Zinoman, The Times's comedy columnist, collected some of the most memorable breaks in the show's history. More on culture Jimmy Fallon made his Broadway debut in "All In," a comedy that features a rotating cast. The late-night hosts discussed Kennedy's confirmation hearing. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Simpson for The New York Times Add chickpeas to a classic combination of sausage and broccoli rabe. Embrace frozen food (really). Prep meals with a chef's knife. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangrams were conclave and covalence. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow.— David Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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