Caroline Kennedy Calls RFK Jr. a 'Predator' and Urges Senate to Block His HHS Nomination
Ahead of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation hearings, his cousin criticizes his qualifications and character, urging the Senate to reject his nomination for health and human services secretary.
In a letter sent to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on Tuesday, Caroline Kennedy strongly opposed her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, nomination for the position of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, referring to him as a "predator."
Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. ambassador to Australia, questioned RFK Jr.'s qualifications to lead HHS, the federal department overseeing agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Among the many criticisms outlined in the letter, Caroline Kennedy accused RFK Jr. of encouraging family members, including siblings and cousins, down a path of substance abuse, which she said led to addiction, illness, and death. She also attacked his views on vaccines, describing them as “dangerous and willfully misinformed.”
In a video posted by her son, Jack Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy read aloud from her letter. “Bobby is addicted to attention and power,” she stated, adding that her cousin "preys on the desperation of parents of sick children" by discouraging vaccination while vaccinating his own children.
RFK Jr. did not respond to questions from reporters about the letter or his upcoming Senate hearings. His spokesperson told NBC News that he would not comment.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an influential anti-vaccine advocate and founder of the Children’s Health Defense, has long been outspoken about his concerns over vaccine safety, particularly regarding vaccines for measles, hepatitis B, and flu. Caroline Kennedy referred to a 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa as a direct consequence of RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine rhetoric. The director general of health in Samoa accused him of spreading misinformation that contributed to vaccine hesitancy, though RFK Jr. denied responsibility.
The letter also criticized RFK Jr. for continuing to pursue lawsuits against Merck, a pharmaceutical company, regarding its HPV vaccine, which aims to prevent cervical cancer. Despite the CDC's reassurance of the vaccine's safety, RFK Jr. has been vocal in his opposition to it, and Caroline Kennedy accused him of profiting from these legal battles while blocking access to a life-saving vaccine.
Additionally, Caroline Kennedy raised concerns about RFK Jr.'s character, recalling troubling details from his youth. “His basement, his garage, and his dorm room were the centers of the action where drugs were available," she said, describing a violent and unsettling environment.
RFK Jr. has had a varied political career, including a brief run for president as a Democrat before suspending his campaign in the summer. Afterward, he endorsed Donald Trump, and in November, Trump announced his intent to nominate him as HHS Secretary.
Caroline Kennedy, who had previously avoided speaking publicly about her cousin due to her role as an ambassador, expressed disappointment in RFK Jr.'s actions, particularly his efforts to exploit their family's tragic history. "Bobby expropriated my father’s image and distorted President Kennedy’s legacy to advance his own failed presidential campaign," she wrote. "It’s incomprehensible to me that someone who is willing to exploit their own painful family tragedies for publicity would be put in charge of America’s life and death situations."