Joe Kennedy III has publicly criticized his cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for serving as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, calling him a “threat to the health and wellbeing of every American.” The former Massachusetts lawmaker condemned RFK Jr.’s policies and leadership in a social media post that garnered over 1.2 million views, highlighting what he described as a dangerous disregard for science and public health expertise.
The rebuke followed RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing, which intensified tensions within the iconic Kennedy family. Joe Kennedy’s statement underscored his belief that RFK Jr. prioritized ideological agendas over evidence-based governance, claiming the secretary’s approach “dismissed science, misled the public, and sowed confusion.” He emphasized that the nation faces critical challenges—from disease outbreaks to mental health crises—that require leadership grounded in factual integrity, which he argued is absent in the HHS office.
RFK Jr.’s sister Karoline Kennedy and cousin Kerry Kennedy also voiced similar concerns, criticizing his medical statements and public health decisions. Kerry Kennedy warned that dismantling institutions like the NIH and CDC risks “the loss of innocent lives,” citing dangers to families nationwide. The family’s unified stance reflects deepening divisions over RFK Jr.’s role in a administration accused of undermining scientific consensus.
