Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks during his Senate confirmation hearing
(Win McNamee/Getty)

‘I probably did say that’: RFK Jr. exposed for spreading dangerous medical conspiracy theories

During his Senate confirmation hearing for the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services role, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was grilled about his history of spreading dangerous medical conspiracy theories.

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After a failed 2024 independent presidential campaign, Kennedy threw his support behind Trump. Trump subsequently nominated him for the Secretary of Health and Human Services. However, Kennedy is among the most controversial of the President’s cabinet picks, especially since he has frequently placed conspiracies above fact-based medical research and history. He’s a prominent member of the anti-vaccine movement and has spread debunked claims, such as that there’s a correlation between vaccines and autism. His spread of misinformation and staunch support of Trump has led to his own family distancing themselves from him. Multiple members of the Kennedy family have denounced his offensive conspiracy claims and endorsement of Trump. On the eve of his Senate confirmation hearing, his cousin, Caroline Kennedy, penned a scathing letter, deeming him a “predator” who “groveled to Donald Trump for a job.”

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Democrats refused to go easy on Kennedy as they forced him to answer to the numerous, abhorrent conspiracies he had spread.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is confronted with his past statements

During his confirmation hearing, Sen. Michael Bennet tore into him and successfully got Kennedy to admit he spread conspiracy theories. Bennet began, “Did you say that COVID-19 was a genetically engineered bio-weapon that targets Black and white people but spares Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people?” Kennedy, nervous and stuttering, claimed that he was simply quoting an NIH-published study. Unsatisfied, Bennet repeats the question, looking for a “yes” or “no” answer. When Kennedy continued talking about “quoting,” Bennet concluded, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.'”

Bennet forged on, “Did you say that Lyme disease is highly likely a militarily engineered bio-weapon?” Kennedy admitted, “I probably did say that.” When Kennedy tries to follow up with an excuse, Bennet raises his voice, cutting him off, stating, “I want all of our colleagues to hear it, Mr. Kennedy. I want them to hear it. You said, ‘yes.'” He goes on to ask Kennedy if he once said that pesticides cause children to become transgender and wrote that African AIDS is different from Western AIDS. Kennedy sputters through claims that he didn’t say these things or doesn’t know if he said them, to which Bennet promptly promises to hand records over to the chairman to determine the truthfulness of his answer.

Bennet also grilled Kennedy on his flip-flop when it came to reproductive rights. He pointed out how Kennedy once stated that abortion should always be the woman’s choice. In response, Kennedy claimed he believed “every abortion is a tragedy.” Bennet blew up on him at this point, stating, “It doesn’t matter what you come here and say that isn’t true.” He reprimands Kennedy’s refusal to give straight answers, as he explains that the Secretary of Health will deal with “life or death” matters and that it is far too serious for the “games” that Trump’s cabinet picks are playing.

Bennet very well could have cost Kennedy his confirmation as Secretary of Health with that line of questioning. He got Kennedy to admit that he once tried to convince people that Lyme disease, a bacterial infection caused by ticks, is a bio-weapon manufactured by the military. There’s reason to believe he also made outrageous claims about pesticides and COVID-19. Such outlandish claims serve no purpose other than to mislead gullible people and foster distrust in medicine and the government. A man who admits to making such claims should not be in charge of the country’s public health matters.


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