RFK Jr’s biggest controversies – from tap water and brain worms to Covid vaccine

In the latest development in the Kennedy political saga, Robert F Kennedy Jr has secured a pivotal role in Donald Trump’s administration.

The nephew of former President John F Kennedy and son of Robert F Kennedy – both victims of assassination – has amassed his own following among disgruntled conspiracy theorists.

He was one of the most vocal disseminators of Covid vaccine misinformation during the pandemic.

The 70-year-old initially ran as an independent presidential candidate, but later withdrew and threw his support behind Trump.

There is rampant speculation that he will have the opportunity to shape vaccination policy, which could have catastrophic global implications after Trump named him as his incoming health secretary.

Vaccine conspiracy theories

Kennedy hails from arguably the most distinguished political family, being the son of former United States senator and attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, who also clinched the 1968 Democratic Party presidential nomination before his assassination that same year, and nephew of the 35th American president, John F. Kennedy.

However, the 70 year old has deviated more from Democratic orthodoxy than his family members, gaining political prominence in 2020 for his skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine. “I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than they’re causing,” Kennedy stated on The Lex Friedman Podcast in 2023.

“There’s no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective.”

Health experts have criticized Kennedy for disseminating misinformation and fueling global fears about vaccine safety and conspiracy theories surrounding technologies like 5G. While rare cases of severe vaccine reactions exist, the administration of billions of doses worldwide demonstrates their safety.

According to the World Health Organization, vaccines prevent up to 5 million deaths annually.

Dead bear cub in Central Park

This year, Kennedy Jr, one of the last remnants of the Kennedy dynasty, emerged as an unconventional third-party candidate, garnering around 1% of the national vote. His campaign has been one of the most unusual aspects of the election.

There were unconfirmed reports during the campaign that Kennedy had eaten a dog, beheaded a dead whale, and stored a freezer full of roadkill. Kennedy later admitted to disposing of a bear cub’s body in New York City’s Central Park.

Brain worm and heroin use

In May, The New York Times obtained records revealing that doctors discovered a small, dead worm in Kennedy’s brain, which had settled in a pocket of grey matter. Kennedy attributed the worm to contaminated food consumed in South Asia, claiming it had eaten part of his brain and caused prolonged “brain fog.”

Vanity Fair highlighted the Kennedy family’s acknowledgment of his 14-year heroin addiction starting at age 15.

Ex-nanny alleges sexual assault

A relative pointed to a National Institutes of Health report that suggests prolonged heroin use can lead to “long-term imbalances in neuronal and hormonal systems that are not easily reversed.”

In allegations of sexual misconduct, Eliza Cooney, who served as a part-time nanny for Kennedy from 1998 to 1999, told Vanity Fair that Kennedy had inappropriately touched her in his kitchen. On a podcast, Kennedy initially dodged the sexual assault allegation, referring to it as one of “the other allegations” from his “very, very rambunctious youth.”

Tap water conspiracy

Kennedy Jr. has been promoting a claim about Donald Trump’s plans if he wins the 2024 presidential election.

In a social media post, Kennedy stated that Trump intends to eliminate fluoride from public drinking water, erroneously alleging that fluoride is linked to various health issues.

On Jan. 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.

Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease”.

Fluoride is widely regarded as one of the most significant public health advancements of the 20th century. In a statement released in October, the American Dental Association stated that they, along with other prominent health organizations, “continue to endorse community water fluoridation at optimal levels to help prevent tooth decay”.