'We have looked at it!’ CNN anchor shuts down GOP senator's vaccine conspiracy talk

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) got an earful from CNN anchor Kasie Hunt on Thursday over his claims linking vaccines to the prevalence of autism.

Mullin joined Hunt on CNN's "The Arena" to discuss Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Senate hearing on Thursday, where he made multiple false statements about the efficacy of vaccines. For instance, Kennedy said he was unsure whether the COVID-19 vaccine saved millions of lives. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that it did.

When Mullin said he supports Kennedy's stance on vaccines, Hunt argued that revising vaccine mandates, as Kennedy has asked the CDC to do, will make children more likely to contract serious illnesses.

"I'm a father of six, and all of my kids are vaccinated," Mullin said. "But when you start to question [vaccines], looking at statistics. What was it? One in 10,000 kids when we first started tracking autism. Today, it's one in 10?"

"But why are you linking that to vaccines?" Hunt asked.

"I'm not," Mullin replied. "I'm just saying, 'Why wouldn't we look at it?"

Mullins' response shocked Hunt.

"We have looked at it!" Hunt said. "It has been studied."

"Well, we should look at it again," Mullin added.

Watch the entire clip below or by clicking here.