RFK Jr. and the Kennedy Legacy

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

During 2025, selected writers for the Davis Political Review will contribute to a special series under the unified theme Grave New World. This collection will examine key figures in the second Trump administration’s cabinet and explore their potential impact.

The Kennedys have long been a prominent family in the United States. While earlier members were eminent in their own right, it was not until John F. Kennedy’s career in the mid-20th century that they began their ascension to widespread fame. In 1946, he was elected as the representative for Massachusetts’ 11th Congressional District, and from there he became a senator of Massachusetts in 1952, before he was finally elected to the presidency eight years later. His brother, Robert F. Kennedy, served as the Attorney General of his administration, and together the two became major figures of American liberalism, famously championing Civil Rights and women’s rights. Infamously, both were assassinated in the 1960s and their younger brother, Ted, inherited the legacy that they left behind. Elected as a Senator of Massachusetts in 1962, he soon assumed a reputation for legislative skill and capable administration, eventually earning the nickname “The Lion of the Senate.” Like his brothers, he worked hard to pass progressive policies, especially in relation to healthcare. However, after his death in 2009, the Kennedys retained no major voices in American politics. Various other members, such as Caroline Kennedy and Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, have been involved to some degree since then but have largely lived in the shadow of their familial predecessors.

That is, until Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s seemingly meteoric rise to fame within the last two years. Of course, his early career was not idle; most of his professional life has been spent focused on environmental conservation to mixed success. He was hired as an attorney by the non-profit organization Riverkeeper in 1985, and during his tenure he led a decades-long legal battle to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York, which eventually shut down in 2022. He then went on to found the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Kennedy & Madonna LLP, organizations focused on combating pollution and environmental health. While his years of climate work left him extremely popular among liberal political circles, Kennedy never sought political office, going so far as to openly reject a potential nomination for a senate seat for New York in 2008. However, his attitude shifted dramatically in 2023 when he announced his candidacy for the democratic presidential nomination; later that year he shifted to an independent candidate. As the 2024 presidential elections developed, his political aspirations were halted as he faced declining poll numbers and dwindling campaign funds. Ultimately, he dropped out of the race and endorsed Donald Trump, a major reversal from previous comments he had made expressing that he would “UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES” join Trump on an electoral ticket. After the election, then president-elect Trump announced that he would be nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services. On February 13 2025, the Senate voted 52 to 48 in favor of Kennedy’s confirmation.

Given the general chaos surrounding the current Trump administration and the relatively fickle nature of its own policies, it can be difficult to understand what exactly Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hopes to accomplish during his time as secretary of HHS. So far though, his actions have thus far remained thematically consistent with the rest of the administration and antithetical to past American health policy. The American Public Health Association reported that, among other things, he hired a known anti-vaxxer to lead a study related to the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, cut state and local public health funding by eleven billion dollars, reduced staff at federal agencies, and “promoted a nonsensical reorganization of HHS.” His past opinions have also been questionable; he has contended (among other conspiracy theories) that Wi-Fi causes cancer, autism comes from vaccines, and that Covid-19 was “targeted to attack Caucasians and black people,” with Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people being immune. His aversion to the polio vaccine also likely led senator Mitch McConnell, himself a polio survivor, to be the only Republican to vote against his confirmation. More recently, Kennedy, as with many of his contentions, has very publicly advocated against the use of fluoride in drinking water, and the Trump administration seems to be humoring his conclusions. While it is useful as a cavity-fighting mineral, most nations around the world, including those in Europe, do not widely use fluoride in drinking water, and experts have argued that it is unnecessary to keep it in given its wide availability in dental products. However, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it is seeking to remove prescription fluoride tablets from the market, claiming that it can lead to thyroid dysfunction and lower IQ in children. While this is true, the study cited was conducted on animals, and the level of fluoride used was at much higher levels than the recommended amount. He has agreed with the FDA’s views, but has also associated fluoride with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders, all claims that are currently unsubstantiated. 

Troublingly, his tenure has only grown more concerning within the last few weeks. The end of May saw him citing nonexistent studies in his “Make America healthy again” report, which examined the causes of chronic illness. Commissioned by the Trump administration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised its quality, using over five hundred citations. However, seven of the studies cited appear to be completely fabricated, with others allegedly being mischaracterized. Not much later, the federal government removed the Covid-19 vaccine from its list of recommended shots for healthy pregnant women and children, severely impacting the ability of both groups to receive the vaccine. Insurance companies are less likely to cover them, which may prove extremely problematic for pregnant women. They are especially likely to suffer from complications from Covid-19, and unborn children remain unprotected from the virus. The resolution is especially unsettling given the precedent it has set; the decision was made without input from independent outside advisors, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had yet to meet to determine the validity of the recommendation for themselves. This trend of ignoring expert advice culminated earlier this month, when he sacked the entire committee that advises the CDC on its nationwide vaccine recommendations. In turn, he has replaced them with more agreeable figures, including many who are skeptical of vaccines. Instead of relying on the opinions of health experts, Kennedy is acting out an agenda that is contradictory to most widely accepted knowledge, with the environment surrounding him serving largely as confirmation bias. Unfortunately, as more of his policies materialize, a troubling picture is being painted, one that is disheartening and extremely counterproductive to the health and wellbeing of the American people.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s reputation as the black sheep of the Kennedys has alienated him both from his family and the legacy his father and uncles left behind. Before the 2024 election, the Kennedy family was widely regarded as a bastion of American liberalism, upheld by brothers John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy. They staunchly fought for and defended progressive values, but were also generally seen as capable and reliable politicians. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has all but smashed this reputation with his disregard for liberal values, detrimental tenure as secretary of HHS, and his propagation of outlandish conspiracy theories, especially in regards to health. The modern Kennedy family has mostly distanced themselves from him as well, with five of his eight surviving siblings jointly condemning his support for Donald Trump. Caroline Kennedy even wrote a letter to senators which urged them to reject her cousin’s nomination as secretary of HHS. With this development, another tenet of the Kennedy family was also destroyed: its unity.

In many ways, viewing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the context of his family leaves one with a symbolic representation of the United States itself. While the Kennedys established a tradition of liberalism, political integrity, and unity, America did the same with democracy, the rule of law, political compromise, and justice. Now, both are undergoing transformations that threaten to destroy those very foundations. Since the 2016 Presidential Election, the United States has increasingly suffered from political partisanship due in part to the populist and radical politics of Donald Trump. Tensions between Democrats and Republicans have only been inflamed following the 2020 elections, the January 6 Capitol attack, and the recent elections last November, and there is no sign of reconciliation. As the days march on and each new headline delivers another pessimistic report of partisan political conflict across the country, one can’t escape the feeling that the old order is being torn down before our very eyes. Whether or not it can be saved is still to be seen, but one question remains for both the Kennedys and our country: Can we find it within ourselves to weather the storm?