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Caroline Kennedy has urged the U.S. Senate to reject the nomination of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, calling him a “predator” addicted to power.
In a scathing letter sent to senators on Tuesday, she outlined a damning case against him, adding to the criticisms he has already faced from his prominent Democratic family.
Kennedy, who previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Australia and Japan, is the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy. In her letter, she accused RFK Jr. of being unfit for public service, citing both his controversial stance on vaccines and personal history, which she claims raises serious concerns.
This latest condemnation follows previous criticisms from Kennedy family members, several of whom publicly denounced his bid for the presidency last year. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, was first reported by The Washington Post.
Caroline Kennedy wrote that her cousin’s well-documented opposition to vaccines alone should disqualify him from leading the nation’s health policies. However, she went further, providing personal details from their childhood that, she argued, painted a disturbing picture of his character.
She described his basement, garage, and college dorm as centers for heavy drug use, and alleged that he would place baby chickens and mice in blenders to feed his hawks.
“It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence,” she wrote. Kennedy also read the letter in a video recording, which she shared on social media, further amplifying her plea to senators.
Attempts to reach Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for comment were unsuccessful. He has spoken openly about his struggles with heroin addiction in the past and pleaded guilty in 1984 for bringing heroin onto an airplane.
Despite his past admissions, Caroline Kennedy accused him of continuing to prey on vulnerable people, specifically targeting parents of sick children. She noted that while he has actively discouraged vaccinations, he ensured that his own children were fully vaccinated.
Caroline Kennedy also highlighted his financial interests, arguing that he is motivated by profit rather than principle. She pointed to his ongoing lawsuit against pharmaceutical company Merck over Gardasil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that prevents cervical cancer. According to financial disclosures, RFK Jr. earned over $850,000 from the lawsuit last year.
“In other words, he is willing to enrich himself by denying access to a vaccine that can prevent almost all forms of cervical cancer and which has been safely administered to millions of boys and girls,” she wrote.
Kennedy, who had remained mostly silent on RFK Jr.’s presidential bid and nomination, broke her silence in dramatic fashion. She reminded senators of the Kennedy family’s long-standing commitment to public service and health care reform, contrasting RFK Jr.’s actions with those of their late relatives.
“Unlike Bobby, I try not to speak for my father – but I am certain that he and my uncle Bobby, who gave their lives in public service, and my uncle Teddy, who devoted his Senate career to improving health care, would be disgusted,” she wrote.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is scheduled to appear before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday for his confirmation hearing as health secretary. Another hearing will be held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, the panel once chaired by his uncle, the late Senator Ted Kennedy.
His nomination has sparked widespread controversy, with critics arguing that his history of promoting vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories makes him unsuitable for the role.
Kennedy has long been a vocal skeptic of vaccines, falsely linking them to autism and other health issues despite overwhelming scientific evidence proving their safety and effectiveness. His claims have been widely debunked by medical experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
In response to past criticism, RFK Jr. has maintained that he is not "anti-vaccine" but rather "pro-safe vaccines." However, his continued promotion of discredited theories and legal efforts against vaccine manufacturers have led many to view him as a dangerous figure in public health discourse.
Beyond vaccines, critics have also raised concerns about RFK Jr.’s broader policy views and management style. His involvement in environmental activism and legal battles against corporations has earned him a reputation as a polarizing figure.
Some supporters argue that his willingness to challenge pharmaceutical companies and government agencies makes him an asset, while opponents believe his rhetoric undermines public trust in science and health institutions.
Caroline Kennedy’s letter adds to a growing chorus of opposition. Public health experts, Democratic lawmakers, and advocacy groups have already voiced strong concerns over RFK Jr.’s nomination, warning that his leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services could jeopardize critical public health initiatives.
If confirmed, RFK Jr. would oversee a vast federal agency responsible for key health programs, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the CDC, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Given his history of opposing mainstream medical guidance, many fear that his leadership could weaken the agency’s ability to effectively manage public health crises.
For now, his fate rests in the hands of the Senate. With Caroline Kennedy’s letter making headlines, RFK Jr. faces an uphill battle in securing the confirmation needed to assume the role.
The upcoming hearings will determine whether his controversial past and divisive views will prevent him from leading one of the most critical health agencies in the country.
