Caroline Kennedy, the sole surviving child of President John F. Kennedy, has penned a scathing letter to U.S. lawmakers, imploring them to reject the nomination of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy’s letter, which she also read aloud in a publicly released video, marks a departure from her previous silence on her cousin’s public life. Motivated by what she sees as a profound obligation to protect the American public, Kennedy argues that RFK Jr. is fundamentally unfit for the role, citing both professional deficiencies and deeply concerning personal flaws.
Kennedy’s critique centers on two primary pillars: RFK Jr.’s alleged lack of qualification and his purportedly predatory character. She asserts that her cousin lacks the necessary experience in government, financial management, and medicine to effectively lead the nation’s principal public health agency. Beyond these professional shortcomings, Kennedy paints a disturbing portrait of RFK Jr.’s personal conduct, accusing him of exploiting family tragedies for personal gain and leading relatives down a path of substance abuse. She labels him a “predator,” drawing a parallel between his alleged treatment of family members and his penchant for keeping birds of prey as pets.
Elaborating on the “predator” analogy, Kennedy recounts instances from their youth, alleging that RFK Jr. fostered an environment of drug availability, using his basement, garage, and dorm room as hubs for substance use. She also claims he engaged in acts of cruelty towards animals, recounting a disturbing anecdote of him blending baby chickens and mice to feed his hawks. While acknowledging RFK Jr.’s eventual recovery from addiction, she underscores the devastating impact his influence had on her siblings and cousins, many of whom suffered addiction, illness, and even death.
Kennedy further accuses RFK Jr. of being driven by an insatiable thirst for attention and power, claiming he has capitalized on the assassinations of both her father and his own for publicity. This willingness to exploit personal tragedy, she argues, disqualifies him from a position of such immense responsibility, where decisions can have life-or-death consequences for the American people. She points to his contentious views on vaccines as further evidence of his unsuitability for the role, characterizing them as “dangerous and willfully misinformed” and accusing him of preying on vulnerable parents by disseminating misleading information about childhood vaccinations while simultaneously vaccinating his own children.
The letter also delves into RFK Jr.’s stance on vaccines, a subject of considerable controversy throughout his public life. Kennedy accuses her cousin of “preying on the desperation of parents of sick children,” alleging hypocrisy in his advocacy against vaccines while ensuring his own children are vaccinated. This targeted misinformation campaign, she argues, demonstrates a profound lack of judgment and empathy, rendering him unsuitable to oversee agencies charged with safeguarding the health and well-being of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the FDA, NIH, CDC, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
RFK Jr.’s confirmation prospects remain uncertain, facing opposition from both Republicans and Democrats. His controversial views on vaccines and other public health matters have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Furthermore, lawmakers representing rural constituencies have expressed concerns about the potential disruption his stringent views on healthy eating could inflict on the agricultural sector. The Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions are slated to question RFK Jr. this week, with the Finance committee ultimately deciding whether to advance his nomination to a full Senate vote. Caroline Kennedy’s impassioned plea adds another layer of complexity to the confirmation process, raising serious questions about RFK Jr.’s character and suitability for such a critical role.
