Joe Rogan challenges furious vaccine researcher to debate anti-vaxxer RFK Jr

Podcaster Joe Rogan and billionaire Elon Musk have blasted a vaccine researcher who dismissed Rogan’s recent interview with anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as “nonsense.”

Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, tweeted his concerns about Kennedy’s interview on Saturday.

Kennedy, who is a longtime Democratic presidential candidate, repeated in the interview his debunked claims that common childhood vaccines cause autism, which Hotez called “simply awful” as he lamented ” it is clear that many actually believe this nonsense”.

Rogan fired back with a challenge: “Peter, if you claim that what RFK jr is saying is ‘misinformation’, I’m offering you $100,000.00 to the charity of your choice if you’re willing to debate him. on my show with no time limit.”

Musk quickly jumped in to incite the drama on Twitter, which he owns, tweeting that Hotez “just hates charity” and saying the scientist “is afraid of public debate because he knows he’s wrong.”

Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, tweeted his concerns about Kennedy’s interview on Saturday.

However, in several tweets, Hotez indicated his willingness to appear on Rogan’s podcast, which reaches a massive audience of millions on Spotify.

“I am happy to come and have a meaningful discussion. I respect you and your show, and I don’t want an adversarial relationship. I think we can make progress,” Hotez tweeted.

“And I’m open to a number of different options, but being forced to give you an answer on Twitter, now, with a ‘take it or leave it’ request, that’s not how I work. Honestly, I don’t even think that would be in your best interest,” he wrote.

Kennedy also indicated her willingness to engage, tweeting: ‘Peter. Let’s finally have the respectful, friendly, and informative debate the American people deserve.

During his appearance on Rogan’s podcast on Thursday, Kennedy repeated his longstanding and debunked claims that common childhood vaccines cause autism.

“Everyone will say, ‘There are no studies that show autism and vaccines are linked.’ It’s just crazy. These are people who don’t watch science. It’s part of religion. .

The Democrat made a name for himself as a prominent anti-vaxxer, but his involvement in the anti-vaccine movement intensified after the pandemic and the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.

His anti-vaccine charity, Children’s Health Defense, thrived at the time, with revenue more than doubling in 2020 to $6.8 million, according to filings with regulators of health agencies. charity.

Rogan challenged Hotez to debate RFK Jr for a $100,000 donation to charity, while Musk quickly chimed in to incite drama on Twitter, which he owns.

Kennedy Jr published a book in 2021, The Real Anthony Fauci, in which he accuses America’s top infectious disease doctor of participating in “a historic coup against Western democracy” and promotes COVID-19 treatments. 19 unproven drugs such as ivermectin, which is intended to treat parasites, and hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug.

His push against the COVID-19 vaccine has at times linked him to anti-democratic figures and groups.

Kennedy Jr appeared at events pushing the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and with people who cheered or downplayed the US Capitol riot.

Kennedy Jr has occasionally invoked his family’s legacy in his anti-vaccine work, including occasionally using images of President Kennedy.

Her sister Kerry Kennedy, who runs Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the international rights group founded by their mother, Ethel, said her brother sometimes deleted some of the content at her request.

She told The Associated Press in a 2021 interview his brother is “completely wrong on this issue and is very dangerous”.

After Kennedy announced his presidential bid as the Democratic nominee in April, he votes about 15% among potential primary voters, compared to 62% for President Joe Biden.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (left) waves to the crowd at the launch of his 2024 campaign alongside his wife, actress Cheryl Hines (right), of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Kennedy Jr declined to openly speculate on Biden’s mental fitness for the job, but told Fox News he jumped into the running because he was unhappy with what Biden “is doing with this country.”

He specifically pointed to the president’s handling of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which he said is long overdue.

The amount of US dollars that have been sent to Ukraine since the conflict began last year currently exceeds $130 billion, a figure Kennedy pointed out far exceeds the budgets of many US alphabet agencies combined.

The candidate suggested that some of that money be spent in the United States instead, citing the fact that 57% of Americans cannot afford a sudden $1,000 expense.

Kennedy has also drawn a host of niche followers among conservatives for her vehement skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as her support for the exclusion of biological men from women’s sports.