Caroline Kennedy urges Senate to reject RFK Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s cousin said he should not become President Donald Trump's health secretary, calling his medical views 'dangerous'


What happened
Caroline Kennedy, a former U.S. ambassador and the only living child of President John F. Kennedy, urged senators Tuesday not to confirm her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Donald Trump's health secretary. In a letter she later read aloud on social media, she called her cousin a "predator" who holds hypocritical and "dangerous" medical views.
His niece Dr. Kerry Kennedy Meltzer also made a bid at "derailing his nomination" Tuesday, Stat News said, sharing a "trove of private emails" showing her uncle "making false claims about Covid-19 vaccines," flu shots and autism "in unguarded, personal moments."
Who said what
"I have known Bobby my whole life," and "it's no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator," Caroline Kennedy said. "His basement, his garage, his dorm room were the centers of the action where drugs were available, and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in the blender to feed his hawks. It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The siblings and cousins that Robert Kennedy "encouraged down the path of substance abuse suffered addiction, illness and death" while he rebounded to "misrepresent, lie and cheat his way through life," she said. And he is now "addicted to attention and power," profiting off his damaging "crusade against vaccination" even as he vaccinated his own children.
Kennedy is among Trump's "most vulnerable Cabinet nominees," The Washington Post said. Caroline Kennedy's "testimonial may not sway Republicans," but "it could shore up Democrats' opposition."
What next?
Caroline Kennedy's "searing public denunciation of her cousin" was all the more "devastating" because she has "kept quiet" and avoided the spotlight for decades, The New York Times said. Her astute "timing all but ensures her concerns will be aired" in Kennedy's Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday and Thursday.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
A running list of RFK Jr.'s controversies
In Depth The man atop the Department of Health and Human Services has had no shortage of scandals over the years
By Brigid Kennedy
-
Film reviews: Sinners and The King of Kings
Feature Vampires lay siege to a Mississippi juke joint and an animated retelling of Jesus' life
By The Week US
-
Music reviews: Bon Iver, Valerie June, and The Waterboys
Feature "Sable, Fable," "Owls, Omens, and Oracles," "Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper"
By The Week US
-
A running list of RFK Jr.'s controversies
In Depth The man atop the Department of Health and Human Services has had no shortage of scandals over the years
By Brigid Kennedy
-
Elon Musk has his 'legion.' How will Republicans encourage other Americans to have babies?
Today's Big Question The pronatalist movement finds itself in power
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Musk vows DOGE pullback as Tesla profits plunge
Speed Read The Tesla SEO says he will soon step back from government matters to devote more time to the company
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
IMF sees slump from tariffs, Trump tries to calm markets
Speed Read The International Monetary Fund predicts the U.S. and global economies will slow significantly due to the president's trade war
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Climate: Trump's attempt to bring back coal
Feature Trump rolls back climate policies with executive orders aimed at reviving the coal industry
By The Week US
-
RFK Jr.: A public-health wrecking ball
Feature Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doubles down on anti-vaccine policies amid a growing measles outbreak
By The Week US
-
Trump's budget: Gutting Medicaid to pass tax cuts?
Feature To extend Trump's tax cuts, the GOP is looking to cut Medicaid and other assistance programs
By The Week US
-
Conspiracy theorists circle again following RFK file release
The Explainer Both RFK and his brother, President John F. Kennedy, have been the subjects of conspiracies
By Justin Klawans, The Week US