As far as controversial Trump administration cabinet members, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is certainly near the top of the list. The 71-year-old is known for continuously spewing debunked conspiracy theories as facts and perpetuating claims with dangerous consequences…and that’s just the beginning.
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When Kennedy launched his political career, many believed he would be the Second Coming of the gilded Kennedy era. Instead, RFK Jr. has done his very best to separate himself from the Democratic legacy of his father and uncle. Now, some say Kennedy has tarnished his family name after aligning with President Donald Trump. But in order understand the former Democrat turned Independent turned MAGA Republican, you have to start at the beginning.
Growing Up As a Kennedy
Before Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. was born, his name already held weight. His father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr., and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy cemented their family name in American history, his Congressional bio read. Kennedy Jr. was one of 11 children, and after RFK was assassinated in the ’60s, a young Kennedy struggled to find his footing.
RFK Jr. Gets in Trouble with the Law
By the age of 16, Kennedy had been arrested for marijuana possession and expelled from multiple schools. His troubles would follow him into adulthood, at the beginning of his professional career.
The Harvard graduate made headlines in 1983 after he failed the bar exam and was arrested for possession of heroin in South Dakota, the New York Times reported. Kennedy was ordered to enter a treatment program and was sentenced to two years on probation.
Environmental Activism
While on probation, Kennedy volunteered with the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association and found a passion in environmental justice. He soon became an activist, even publishing a book called “The Riverkeepers,” which led to TIME magazine named him one of the “heroes for the planet” in 1999.
He founded the Waterkeeper Alliance– the world’s largest clean water advocacy group, and by the turn of the century, Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in environmental matters and was a well-respected Democrat holding onto the Kennedy legacy. Still, folks couldn’t help but notice his controversial views…
The Beginning of RFK Jr.’s Many Conspiracy Theories
Yes, Kennedy used to be a dead-set Democrat, but over the years, he had slowly began separating himself from the pack, especially when it came down to his conspiracies. In 2006, he alleged the presidential election between former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State John Kerry was rigged by the GOP. Seven years later, Kennedy expressed apprehensions about JFK’s assassination. Still, these didn’t begin to touch the surface of how deep his controversial opinions would go…
Vaccine Conspiracies
For decades, Kennedy built a strong reputation as a strict anti-vaccine activist. He famously penned an op-ed in Rolling Stone and Salon linking autism to thimerosal– “a compound that has been widely used as a preservative in a number of biological and drug products,” according to the FDA. The article was eventually removed due to it lacking evidence and ignoring data. “Salon” later issued a retraction, but that didn’t stop Kennedy Jr. from continuing his propaganda.
Kennedy previously claimed Wi-Fi causes cancer, AIDS is not caused by HIV, autism was a direct side effect of receiving vaccines and chemicals in the water supply could turn kids transgender.
Racially Charged Conspiracies
On top of outlandish theories concerning health issues, Kennedy also built his reputation by perpetuating ideals many considered racist. In 2021, he came under fire after he produced a film called “Medical Racism: The New Apartheid,” which used medical racism to falsely claim Covid vaccines harmed Black communities.
He also perpetuated the racist and baseless theory that Black people should be on a separate vaccine schedule based on genetic makeup. This conspiracy infers Black folks are somehow genetically different than other racial groups. Given the health care system’s history of reinforcing racial stereotypes– like with the Tuskegee experiment– Kennedy Jr.’s racist beliefs have been and continue to be dangerous for Black Americans.
The Rest of the Kennedy Family Chimes in
After endorsing President Trump, several members of the Kennedy family spoke out against RFK Jr.’s decision. In a joint statement, five Kennedys wrote, “We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” according to NBC News.
“Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear,” the statement continued. “It is a sad ending to a sad story.” Other family members chimed in to condemn the Harvard graduate. Kennedy’s cousin Jack Schlossberg said he has “never been less surprised in my life.” He continued on X, “Been saying it for over a year — RFK Jr. is for sale, works for Trump. Bedfellows and loving it.”
Earlier this year, former ambassador Caroline Kennedy called her cousin a “predator.” She added he was “unqualified” to serve as the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary, NPR reported. Despite her scathing review of Kennedy, he was later confirmed to Trump’s cabinet.
Marriage History
Kennedy married Emily Ruth Black, whom he met at the University of Virginia Law School, in 1982. The couple had two children, Robert and Kathleen, and divorced in March 1994. Less than a month later, Kennedy married Mary Richardson. In May 2010, he filed for divorce from Richardson and shortly afterward, she was arrested twice for drunk driving. Two years later, Richardson was found dead in her home, with authorities determining the cause as hanging.
He is now married to actor Cheryl Hines, who starred in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
COVID-19 Misinformation
Kennedy’s anti-vaccine nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, expanded its outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in August 2022 Meta banned the organization’s Facebook and Instagram accounts for violating policies on spreading misinformation. Earlier, in February 2021, Kennedy’s personal Instagram account was also removed for repeatedly posting false claims about vaccine safety and COVID-19.
He later apologized for controversial statements in which he connected vaccine side effects and mandates to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany.
Meeting Trump
Since his first term, President Donald Trump has looked to Kennedy for vaccine-related efforts. In 2017, Trump tapped him to chair a “vaccine safety and scientific integrity” commission following a meeting at Trump Towers in New York City. But after news of the potential appointment surfaced, Kennedy alleged that Pfizer gave Trump a $1 million contribution and he ultimately lost the role to affiliates of the pharmaceutical and biomedical company.
Running For President
Hoping to extend his family’s political legacy, Kennedy launched a bid for presidency in the 2024 election. Kennedy called on 38-year-old Californian lawyer and tech powerhouse Nicole Shanahan to be his running mate, attempting to appeal to Gen Z voters.
He initially entered the race as a democrat but later announced he would reclassify as an independent, a move that ticked off many Trump supporters who feared he could take votes from the former president. In August 2024, Kennedy announced the suspension of his presidential campaign, putting forth an endorsement of Trump.
Trump Returns Favor
Upon taking office in his new term, Trump nominated and successfully confirmed Kennedy to lead HHS. In announcing the nomination, Trump said, “He’s going to help make America healthy again.”
In an interview with NPR before the choice was announced, Kennedy said, “President Trump has given me three instructions: He wants the corruption and the conflicts out of the regulatory agencies. He wants to return the agencies to the gold standard empirically based, evidence-based science and medicine that they were once famous for. And he wants to end the chronic disease epidemic with measurable impacts on a diminishment of chronic disease within two years.”
Speech Disorder
If you’ve ever heard Kennedy talk and wondered if there’s an underlying issue with his speech, here’s your answer. During his 40s, he was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition affecting the voice box causing strained speech. Kennedy is one of an estimated 50,000 people in North America with the condition.
The 70-year old has openly talked about his voice disorder and explained that he was diagnosed with the condition in 1996, “I had a very very strong voice until I was 46 years old. It was unusually strong,” he said during a news broadcast in 2023. “It makes my voice tremble. At the time, I didn’t know what was wrong with it. But when I would go on TV, people would write me letters and say, ‘You have spasmodic dysphonia.’”
Recent Senate Hearing
Kennedy has recently faced heightened backlash, much of it amplified by his appearances in widely broadcast Senate hearings. Earlier this month, during an exchange with Sen. Mark Warner about how many Americans have died of COVID-19, Kennedy claims nobody knows due to the apparent lack of government data.
“I don’t think anybody knows that, because there was so much data chaos coming out of the CDC and there were so many perverse incentives,” Kennedy said.
Approximately 1.2 million Americans have died from the virus, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Worth Health Organization.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren also called for Kennedy’s resignation during the hearing, sharply criticizing his controversial policies as potentially endangering the health of Americans.
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