Former President Trump and RFK Jr.'s Controversial Discussion on Vaccine Safety: Unproven Claims Amidst Credible Sources

Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States of America
Former President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a conversation about vaccines on July 16, 2024.
His concerns echoed previous anti-vaccine sentiments that have been widely debunked by scientific experts.
The conversation took place after an assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump expressed doubts about vaccine safety and efficacy during the call.
Former President Trump and RFK Jr.'s Controversial Discussion on Vaccine Safety: Unproven Claims Amidst Credible Sources

Former President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, had a conversation about vaccines during which Trump expressed doubts about their safety and efficacy. The details of their discussion were revealed through leaked phone call recordings posted online by Bobby Kennedy III, RFK Jr.'s son.

According to the reports, during the call Trump mentioned his concerns regarding the number of vaccines given to infants and their size. He also claimed that he had seen babies change radically after receiving vaccines. These statements echo Trump's previous anti-vaccine sentiments, which have been widely debunked by scientific experts.

The conversation between Trump and Kennedy Jr. took place on July 16, 2024, just a day after an assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The leaked video was posted online by Bobby Kennedy III before being deleted.

Trump's anti-vaccine stance is not new; he has previously expressed skepticism towards public health professionals and their recommendations for vaccines. His statements have been met with criticism from experts, who emphasize the importance of vaccines in preventing the spread of diseases and protecting public health.

It is important to note that Trump's claims about vaccine safety are not supported by scientific evidence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other reputable health organizations have thoroughly researched the safety of vaccines, which have been proven to be effective in preventing various diseases.

The conversation between Trump and Kennedy Jr. highlights the importance of being informed about vaccine safety and making evidence-based decisions. It is crucial for individuals to rely on credible sources when seeking information about health-related matters.


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Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if Trump's statements were made in a joking or serious manner.
  • The authenticity of the leaked phone call recordings has not been verified.

Sources

81%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Leaked video shows Trump criticizing vaccines on phone with RFK Jr.

National Public Radio (NPR) Rachel Treisman Tuesday, 16 July 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Trump expressed doubts about vaccines during the call with RFK Jr.
    • Trump mentioned wanting to do small doses of vaccines for babies in the past
    • The video was recorded by Kennedy and posted online by his son before being deleted
    • Trump referenced a previous conversation with Kennedy about vaccines during the call
  • Accuracy
    • Trump expressed doubts about vaccines during the call
  • Deception (30%)
    The author, Rachel Treisman, presents selective reporting by focusing on the controversial views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump regarding vaccines without providing any context or counterarguments from experts or scientific studies that could challenge their perspectives. The article also implies that there is something wrong with the 'whole system' of vaccines and doctors without providing evidence to support this claim.
    • Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump... A leaked video of a phone call between independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump shows the former president expressing doubt about vaccines
    • The video shows Kennedy standing in a room with an American flag while holding up an iPhone and listening intently as Trump talks on speakerphone. As the recording starts, Trump can be heard saying:
    • Kennedy has centered his political campaign on a conspiratorial view of the world, including promoting the misleading claim that vaccines are harmful.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when reporting Trump's statements about vaccines and his doubts about the system. The author also reports Kennedy's conspiratorial views without challenging them, which could be seen as a form of bias.
    • “I agree with you, man. Something's wrong with that whole system, and it's the doctors you find."
    • “I would love you to do something," Trump said, without offering further context.
    • Kennedy has centered his political campaign on a conspiratorial view of the world, including promoting the misleading claim that vaccines are harmful.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

60%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Trump shares vaccine skepticism on call with RFK Jr. in since-deleted video

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Tuesday, 16 July 2024 15:39
  • Unique Points
    • Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s son, Bobby Kennedy III, posted a video of a phone call between Kennedy and former President Donald Trump in which Trump appeared to endorse false theories about vaccine safety.
    • 'You see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically' after taking multiple vaccines.
    • Trump expressed skepticism toward public health professionals who accurately state the recommended immunization schedule for children is safe and effective.
  • Accuracy
    • Trump discussed the amount of doses of vaccines scheduled for children and suggested that after taking multiple vaccines, ‘you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically’.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article does not disclose the author and contains editorializing, emotional manipulation, and selective reporting. The article expresses skepticism towards vaccines without providing any scientific evidence to support their claims. The author implies that vaccines are dangerous by stating 'you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically' after discussing the number of doses children receive. This is an example of emotional manipulation as it creates fear and doubt about vaccines without providing any factual basis for these fears.
    • The former president appeared to endorse false theories about the safety of vaccines
    • you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically
    • And then you hear it doesn’t have an impact, right?
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains an example of a dichotomous depiction and appeal to authority. Trump's statements about vaccines are presented as factual despite being unsupported by scientific evidence, creating a false dichotomy between accepting his viewpoint or rejecting it outright. Additionally, the article references Kennedy Jr.'s apology for releasing the video without Trump's permission, which implies an appeal to authority on Trump's part.
    • CNN – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s son, Bobby Kennedy III, posted a video of a phone call between Kennedy and former President Donald Trump in which the former president appeared to endorse false theories about the safety of vaccines.
    • In the video, Trump can be heard discussing the amount of doses of vaccines that are scheduled for children, and suggested that after taking a high volume of vaccines, “you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically. I’ve seen it too many times.”
    • Kennedy Jr. apologized to Trump for the video of the phone call being released after his son took the video down.
  • Bias (0%)
    The author of this article does not express any bias towards Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but the article does discuss their views on vaccine safety which can be considered a controversial and ideological topic. However, the author presents factual information about vaccines and their safety, as well as quotes from experts to support their claims. The author also provides context about the political implications of Trump's stance on vaccines in relation to other Republican candidates. Therefore, while there may be some ideological bias present in the article due to its subject matter, it is not egregious enough to warrant a score below 15%. The author presents factual information and does not express any extreme or unreasonable language towards either Trump or Kennedy Jr.
    • All vaccines that are approved or authorized for use in the United States have been proven safe and effective through rigorous scientific study.
      • Severe allergic reactions are exceedingly rare – occurring in roughly 1 in 1 million people. Far more common are mild side effects, such as pain or swelling at the injection site, which tend to subside quickly.
        • ]Trump has long entertained vaccine skepticism, but his stance toward vaccines has taken added political urgency after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic a major issue during the Republican primary. Trump has said he would defund any public school that enforces vaccine mandates.[
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        68%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Why the leaked phone call between Trump and RFK Jr. matters

        MSNBC News Tuesday, 16 July 2024 19:23
        • Unique Points
          • Donald Trump had a conversation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
          • Trump expressed anti-vaccine views during the call
          • Kennedy may have wanted their conversation to be recorded
        • Accuracy
          • Trump discussed children's vaccines during the call
        • Deception (30%)
          The article contains selective reporting by focusing only on the conversation between Trump and RFK Jr. and their anti-vaccine rhetoric, while ignoring any potential context or reasons for their conversation. The author also makes editorializing statements about Kennedy's intentions as a spoiler candidate.
          • From a public-health perspective, the worst-case scenario is that Trump actually believes what he said
          • The best-case scenario is that Trump knew what he was saying was nonsense, but he made the comments anyway in the hopes of currying favor with someone whose endorsement he was seeking.
          • This did not sound like a conversation between two rival candidates, competing for the same office. Rather, it came across as a nice, cooperative chat
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The author makes an appeal to authority by stating that Kennedy is known for his anti-vaccine rhetoric. This is a fallacy because the truth or falsehood of a statement does not depend on the reputation of the person making it.
          • ]The author states: 'Kennedy, whose known for his anti-vaccine rhetoric,'[
          • ']Steve Benen is an MSNBC political contributor.[
        • Bias (50%)
          The author expresses a clear bias against Trump and Kennedy's anti-vaccine rhetoric. The author also implies that the conversation between Trump and Kennedy does not sound like that of two rival candidates, but rather a cooperative chat.
          • I agree with you man, something's wrong with that whole system.
            • >It did not sound like a conversation between two rival candidates, competing for the same office. Rather, it came across as a nice, cooperative chat
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            65%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Trump endorses vaccine conspiracy theory in leaked call with RFK Jr.

            CNBC News Kevin Breuninger Tuesday, 16 July 2024 17:38
            • Unique Points
              • Donald Trump endorsed vaccine conspiracy theories during a call with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
              • Trump expressed concern about the number of vaccines given to infants and their size
              • Trump claimed he had seen babies change radically after receiving vaccines
            • Accuracy
              No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
            • Deception (30%)
              The author, Kevin Breuninger, reports on Donald Trump's conversation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during which Trump expresses unfounded concerns about childhood vaccines and their impact on infants. This is an example of selective reporting as the article only focuses on this aspect of their conversation while ignoring other topics discussed. The author also does not provide any evidence to support Trump's claims, making it a case of sensationalism.
              • Trump can be heard saying that, after receiving vaccines to protect infants against life-threatening diseases, "You see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically."
              • Unfounded skepticism and online disinformation about the safety of childhood vaccinations has caused childhood vaccination levels in the United States to fall in recent years.
              • The clip offers more evidence for Biden supporters who have accused Kennedy of running a spoiler campaign that is likely to benefit Trump in November.
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (0%)
              The author, Kevin Breuninger, demonstrates a clear bias against Donald Trump by reporting on his false conspiracy theories about childhood vaccinations and quoting him making these claims. The article also implies that Trump is endangering people's lives by spreading this misinformation.
              • "I agree with you," Trump is heard saying at the start of the clip. 'Something's wrong with that whole system.' When you, when you feed a baby, Bobby, in vaccination, that it's like 38 different vaccines and it looks like it's meant for a horse,"
                • The Biden campaign pounced on the leak, saying in a press release, 'it makes sense that Trump would find common cause with anti-vax extremist RFK Jr.'
                  • "There's this massive, and then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically," Trump claims.
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication