Army doctor joins Kennedy's team to examine alleged COVID-vaccine deaths among troops
Army physician Dr. Theresa Long is working with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate 2,544 reported service-member deaths linked to COVID-19 vaccines.
During testimony in a Virginia federal court, Army doctor Theresa Long disclosed that she has been selected by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to serve as senior medical military adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Her task is to scrutinize 2,544 unverified deaths among service members recorded in the VAERS system for possible links to COVID-19 vaccinations. Long indicated she expects to complete the review within twelve months.
The Pentagon, when asked for comment, referred reporters to an earlier statement affirming ongoing actions for personnel impacted by the vaccine mandate and offered no further details about Long’s role. The investigation follows earlier criticism of the mandate by Kennedy and Trump’s executive order to reinstate discharged service members.
Why it matters
The probe could influence military vaccine policy and public confidence in COVID-19 vaccine safety.
How this story developed
- Aug 25 Two Unvaccinated Pennsylvanians Die from Measles, First Fatalities in 2026
- Aug 25 Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Raphael Warnock publicly called for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign.
- Aug 27 Letters reveal Robert F Kennedy Jr said his 2019 Samoa visit was to study the MMR vaccine, contradicting his Senate testimony that it had nothing to do with vaccines.
- Aug 27 Lancaster County coroner said the infant’s death was classified as measles‑associated rather than a direct measles death.
- Aug 28 Senator Ron Wyden publicly called for a DOJ criminal investigation of Secretary Kennedy, and Kennedy’s remarks on Pennsylvania measles deaths were criticized by Governor Josh Shapiro.
- Aug 29 Case count rose to 460 with infections in 31 counties.
- Aug 31 The CDC publicly questioned the state's reporting of the deaths on social media.
- Sep 1 New reporting highlights that measles can cause immune amnesia, potentially obscuring additional deaths beyond those directly attributed to the disease.
- Sep 1 CDC removed the two Pennsylvania deaths from its national measles mortality count pending further review.
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