Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is no stranger to American politics, but after starting a career as an assistant district attorney in the '80s, he quickly followed in the footsteps of his father (Bobby Kennedy) and his uncle. Then again, when you're part of the Kennedy dynasty and your uncle was the 35th president of the United States, you probably didn't have much choice.
Although RFK dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House, he's since cozied up to President Donald Trump and is serving as the 26th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.
RFK is known for his impressive physique and promoting a healthy lifestyle, although he's raised a few eyebrows with his conspiracy theories, controversial methods, and outspoken views on vaccines.
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As well as being called out for his idea of an 'autism registry', RFK has proposed an equally divisive solution to the measles outbreak, and has been questioned about potentially adding Methylene Blue to his drinks.
RFK has more recently been back in the news due to his seeming ties to Trump's top choice as Surgeon General, as well as a shocking admission that Americans shouldn't be listening to his health advice. Given that RFK is the Health Secretary, you might think his words on how to 'Make America Healthy Again' should be gospel.
When speaking during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, RFK said we shouldn't be listening to his own supposed words of wisdom. It comes after Rep. Mark Pocan asked, “If you had a child, would you vaccinate that child for measles?” RFK, who has previously said he regrets vaccinating his children, stumbled a little and said: "For measles? Um … probably for measles."
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He then added that his opinions of vaccines are 'irrelevant' and continued: "I don’t want to seem like I’m being evasive, but I don’t think people should be taking advice, medical advice, from me."
The HSS chief had been called forward to discuss Trump's revised budget that would make sweeping cuts to the health department and scientific enterprises.
Although Pocan reiterated that he wasn't trying to get RFK (who has no medical training) to dispense medical advice, RFK said: "For me to answer that question directly, it will seem like I’m giving advice to other people, and I don’t want to be doing that."
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When pushed on chickenpox, a stumbling RFK said: "Um, again, I don’t want to give advice."
Pocan questioned him about Polio, with RFK again saying: "Polio? Again, I don’t want to be giving advice."
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Despite it being pointed out that Kennedy oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which "does give advice,” RFK said that Americans should do their own research: "What we’re going to try to do is to lay out the pros and cons, the risks and benefits, accurately, as we understand them with reputable studies."
The idea was revisited in his afternoon testimony when Democrat Chris Murphy asked if RFK would recommend the measles vaccine at a time the USA is in the midst of its worst outbreak of the infection since 2000.
With RFK showing reluctance, Murphy jibed: "I think that’s really dangerous for the American public and for families...The Secretary of Health and Human Services is no longer recommending the measles vaccines."