Caroline Kennedy is breaking her silence on cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with a sharp rebuke ahead of his confirmation hearings for Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a letter to senators on Tuesday, Jan. 28, the daughter of John F. Kennedy described her cousin as a “predator” who is “addicted to attention and power” and “unqualified” to oversee the nation’s health policies.
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Kennedy’s letter marks the first time she has publicly addressed Bobby’s controversies, even as his siblings have repeatedly denounced his conspiratorial rhetoric and support of Donald Trump. “I did not comment before because I was serving as United States Ambassador to Australia and I’ve always avoided speaking publicly about family matters,” Caroline, 67, wrote. “But now that Bobby has been nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services — a position that would put him in charge of the health of the American people — I feel an obligation to speak out.”
In a video posted to social media, Caroline’s son, Jack Schlossberg, shared a clip of his mother reading her letter aloud, praising her for being “courageous” in speaking against her cousin.
In the letter, Caroline criticized Bobby’s lack of experience, stating his résumé “alone should be disqualifying” for such an important role. She also expressed greater concerns about his character, alleging a history of drug addiction and violent behavior. Caroline described her cousin as someone who “enjoyed showing off” disturbing acts, including putting baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed hawks.
Caroline also took aim at Bobby’s anti-vaccination crusade, which has drawn criticism from public health experts and his own family members. She accused him of preying on the desperation of parents of sick children while hypocritically ensuring his own children were vaccinated. She referenced his opposition to scientifically backed vaccines and his financial ties to lawsuits against Merck, a vaccine manufacturer, calling it a clear conflict of interest should he take office.
“Even before filling this role, Bobby’s conspiratorial rhetoric about vaccines and his constant denigration of our health care system have cost lives,” she said, citing his role in spreading misinformation during Samoa’s deadly 2019 measles outbreak.
Caroline concluded the letter by accusing Bobby of exploiting their family’s tragic legacy for his own gain, pointing to his independent presidential campaign last year and frequent invocations of their family name. “It’s incomprehensible to me that someone who is willing to exploit his own painful family tragedies for publicity would be put in charge of America’s life-and-death situations,” she said.
She added that her father, President John F. Kennedy, her uncle Bobby Kennedy, and her uncle Ted Kennedy, who devoted his career to health care reform, “would be disgusted” by RFK Jr.’s actions.
