The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services made a strange claim at a bill signing in Texas, and subsequently caused the internet to erupt in a flurry.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in attendance as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans signed several bills into law that are modeled after Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. The bills revise state nutrition and fitness standards, increase food quality requirements, and prohibit people who receive food stamp benefits from using the funds to buy sweets and sodas.
During the ceremony, Kennedy said he could see the impact of America's health issues on young children.
"I'm looking at kids as I walk through the airport, or as I walk down the street," Kennedy said. "They are overburdened with mitochondrial challenges. You can tell from their faces and by their body movements, and their lack of social connection."
Several analysts replied to Kennedy's comments on social media.
"I, too, am overburdened with mitochondrial challenges," Irish sociologist Kieran Healy wrote on Bluesky.
"I can't imagine why kids are repelled by the leathery guy who looks them up and down in airports for 'mitochondrial challenges,'" journalist Mike Rothschild wrote on X.
"He’s diagnosing children from 30 yards away with fake diseases," military veteran John Jackson wrote on X.
"Horrors abound but a guy who will say 'overburdened with mitochondrial challenges' and somehow be in charge of the nation’s public health infrastructure is TOUGH TO BEAT," journalist Dave Levitan quipped on Bluesky.
"Serious question: What do the cuckoos mean by 'mitochondrial challenges?'" Dr. Melissa Johnson posted on Bluesky. "I'm deeply fascinated by whatever crunchy-granola clean-eating overnight-oats conspiracy theory is operating here."
"'Mitochondrial challenges usually means you're dead," Dr. Tessa Fisher wrote on Bluesky. "Best case, you have *severe* exercise intolerance."
Watch the clip below or by clicking here.
.@SecKennedy: "I know what a healthy child is supposed to look like. I’m looking at kids as I walk through the airports today...and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges...and I know that’s not how our children are supposed to look." pic.twitter.com/b8A2OEphav
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 27, 2025