For much of his life, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was best known for his family ties to two notable 20th-century politicians: his father, former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and his uncle, John F. Kennedy.
But public interest in Kennedy's own politics exploded in the 2020s, notably after he launched an unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign. The following year, in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump picked Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services as health secretary.
Rumors involving Kennedy have exploded as a result of his political rise — and also because of his unusual and sometimes outlandish comments about vaccines, the COVID-19 virus, dead animals and so on.
Ultimately, throughout his career, Kennedy has been both the target and source of misleading claims. Below is a sample.
