Leading anti-vaccine activist joins RFK Jr. campaign as communications director

Del Bigtree, a leading anti-vaccine activist, has joined Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign as communications director.

In a letter to supporters, Bigtree called for donations and said Kennedy is healing the divide among Americans “who censor vs. those who disagree.”

Kennedy, who switched his bid from Democrat to independent in October, has been a prominent vaccine skeptic. He stepped down from the Children’s Health Defense organization, the nation’s best-funded anti-vaccine organization, in April to run for president.

Bigtree is the executive director of the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), which is the country’s second-most-funded anti-vaccine organization. News of his new position was first reported by NBC News.

Kennedy rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic because of his opposition to vaccines.

Although he has insisted he is not anti-vaccine and never told the public to avoid vaccination, The Associated Press reported Kennedy has said there are no safe vaccines, he believes in the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism and he urged people to resist vaccinating their children when COVID-19 shots became available.

In the letter announcing his new position, Bigtree spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic and said “dark forces of medical tyranny” launched the “greatest psychological operation” in the world.

Bigtree, who is unvaccinated, criticized former President Trump and President Biden for putting “the fate of our nation into Dr. Anthony Facui’s hands.”

He said Kennedy is a man who stood alongside him on stages of Health Freedom conventions across America and said serving as Kennedy’s communications director is his “greatest opportunity to date.”

Bigtree asked for $1,000 campaign donations from his supporters and said he would provide periodic updates directly from him “that no one else will receive.” He said he will have open Zoom calls to share plans he has for the campaign and to brainstorm with supporters for what he is calling his “Health Think Tank.”

Bigtree is the host of The HighWire, an anti-vaccine podcast and produced the 2016 documentary “Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe.”

Stefanie Spear, the former communications director for the Kennedy campaign, confirmed in an email that her position was temporary until they found “the right person for the job.” She said Bigtree is that person, bringing decades of experience.

Spear will continue to hold the press secretary and director of media relations roles for the campaign.

— Updated at 5:23 p.m.