All posts tagged "robert f. kennedy jr"

RFK Jr.'s soaring bodyguard costs covered with money for fighting infant deaths: WSJ

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s ballooning security costs were partly covered by money from an office created to fight Black infant deaths.

According to a Wall Street Journal article published on Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services told congressional appropriators earlier this year that it was shifting about $12 million from its Office of Minority Health to help pay for Kennedy's protection. The Journal cited people familiar with the matter and a document it reviewed.

According to The Journal's sources, Kennedy's security costs rose from roughly $10 million in fiscal 2025 to $17 million in fiscal 2026. Those sources said protection for previous HHS secretaries ran about $5 million a year.

The sources also told The Journal that the secretary's office had a large pool of discretionary money it could have used instead. The report said HHS took $12 million from the minority health office, well above the roughly $7 million rise in security costs, partly because the secretary's office has been hit by across-the-board budget cuts.

The Office of Minority Health dates to the Reagan administration and was created after a landmark report found that Black infants in the U.S. were more likely than white infants to die. It also found that Black Americans had shorter life expectancies. The office has an annual budget of about $74 million and has funded research and programs aimed at closing those gaps, according to The Journal.

In August, HHS notified 16 nonprofits and universities that their grants from the office had been canceled, citing "limited" funding and new priorities. The department said the office would now focus on "the root causes of infertility and reproductive health conditions" and on promoting physical activity.

The Journal reported that HHS spent about $9 million on the programs last year. They provided fresh vegetables, chronic disease screenings, and at-home nurse visits for new mothers in low-income communities.

HHS spokeswoman Emily Hilliard told The Journal that the grant cuts "reflect HHS priorities and programmatic assessments" rather than the secretary's security needs.

"Secretary Kennedy faces a security environment that differs significantly from that of previous HHS secretaries," Hilliard said. She added that his protection reflects the threats against him, his extensive travel, and what he needs to do his job safely, per The Journal.

RFK Jr raked in over $250K in luxury donor gifts — including flights to Fiji

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accepted more than $250,000 worth of gifts from a single major donor last year, according to newly disclosed ethics filings reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The haul included two separate international flights: one running close to $97,000 for a Fiji round-trip, and another costing roughly $45,000 to travel to and from Greece.

The gifts all came from Gavin de Becker, a longtime security consultant who provided protective services to Kennedy and served as a significant donor during his 2024 presidential run. Beyond the flights, de Becker also gave Kennedy free use of his vacation home in Washington, D.C. De Becker owns property in Fiji, where one leg of Kennedy's travel was headed.

Kennedy, who has been controversial for his anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, disclosed the gifts, all received in 2025, in an annual financial ethics filing updated this week, which the Journal obtained through a records request.

An HHS spokeswoman said Kennedy follows federal ethics rules and has consulted with agency ethics officials regarding the gifts. De Becker did not respond to the Journal's request for comment.

However, the disclosure lands amid a broader pattern of scrutiny over how Kennedy and his inner circle handle both personal finances and access to his office.

Bloomberg reported this week that a nonprofit tied to Kennedy separately solicited payments from companies in exchange for access to top HHS officials at an upcoming event. Kennedy has also faced criticism for using a military aircraft for campaign-related travel, according to reporting from The New Republic, which noted the arrangement alongside separate scrutiny of Sen. Rand Paul's use of a private charter jet for Senate committee staff.

'Full-out brawl': Trump health official linked to death at fraternity in new report

William Boothby, who manages President Donald Trump's political appointees at the health department, was accused in a wrongful death lawsuit of punching a college student who was later found dead.

Boothby serves as the White House liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a report published Friday by Politico. He manages nearly 300 political appointees at the health department and its sub-agencies.

The case centered on Vincenzo "Vinny" Lirosi, a University of New Hampshire sophomore who fought with several fraternity members, including Boothby, after a night of drinking, according to court records and police reports obtained by Politico.

Vincenzo Lirosi's mother, Robin Lirosi, filed a wrongful death suit in Strafford County Superior Court in late 2023, the outlet said. She named Boothby, the Sigma Chi chapter at the university, other fraternity members and the bar where her son had been drinking.

The suit alleged that Boothby pushed Vincenzo Lirosi to the floor, prompting other fraternity brothers to attack him. Boothby said Vincenzo Lirosi responded by attacking a fraternity brother. The suit states the fight "had become a full-out brawl" with Boothby and three other fraternity brothers against Vincenzo Lirosi.

"During this brawl, Boothby punched Lirosi in the head, leaving him dazed," the lawsuit explains, adding that he appeared not to know where he was.

Vincenzo Lirosi was later seen stumbling away from the fraternity house, according to the suit, and was found dead in a small body of water in the woods more than a day later, Politico reported. An autopsy ruled the death accidental, caused by drowning and acute intoxication, with a blood alcohol level of .215.

No one faced criminal charges, the outlet reported.

The suit said Vincenzo Lirosi bought 17 alcoholic drinks at the bar in less than four hours and drank at least nine of them, citing a state liquor commission investigation, the Associated Press reported in 2023.

Robin Lirosi blamed the fraternity because no one there "took any steps to ensure his safety," the suit said. Boothby told police that a drunk Vincenzo Lirosi had arrived uninvited at the fraternity house and was told to leave, but that things "escalated" before he did, according to the reports obtained by Politico.

He pushed Vincenzo Lirosi to get him out of the house, then turned to helping a fraternity brother whom Vincenzo Lirosi had allegedly punched, Boothby told police, the reports show.

Records indicate Boothby initially told officers that a fight broke out but wanted to speak with an attorney before answering more questions.

He joined the health department as deputy White House liaison on Jan. 20, 2025, Politico reported, citing two people granted anonymity to avoid retaliation.

On Feb. 12, 2025, he was removed as a defendant in an out-of-court settlement, according to a court document cited in the report. The docket was marked "Judgment for neither party; no interest; no costs," the outlet said.

The Trump administration promoted him to White House liaison in July 2025, the report said. His financial disclosure shows he previously served as national field director and get-out-the-vote director for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign.

He also worked as a committee aide for the Maine State Legislature and for MAHA Action, an activist group that supports Kennedy, Politico reported.

A lawyer for Boothby and the university's Sigma Chi chapter declined to comment, and Boothby referred questions to the health department, the report said. Robin Lirosi and her lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

"Every member of the Department remains focused on carrying out Secretary Kennedy's priorities," the department said in a statement.

Seven months after Boothby left the case, Robin Lirosi and the remaining defendants settled as well, the outlet reported. The case is no longer active.

"Our thoughts and prayers have been … with the Lirosi family," Durham Police Chief Jack Dalton said when asked about Boothby's role in the episode.

RFK Jr. flew on military jet to stump for GOP — the White House signed off: report

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. flew a military jet to campaign for Republican candidates in Iowa ahead of the midterms.

Kennedy was given access to military aircraft for travel across the country, including as part of the GOP's push before the November midterms, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

The White House and lawyers for the Department of Health and Human Services signed off on the plan to let Kennedy use the jets, five people told The Post. Several insiders said the use of military aircraft has been infrequent because of the added cost, and that protocols exist to determine when a government plane is warranted.

An Air Force-operated Gulfstream jet flew on August 17 from the Washington area to Des Moines and arrived hours before Kennedy's first event in the state, according to The Post. The Defense Department charges roughly $9,000 an hour for that Gulfstream. By comparison, a commercial flight between Washington and Des Moines runs about $250 under a government program meant to cut the cost of federal workers' air travel, The Post added.

Health officials argued that Kennedy sometimes needs the flights given his schedule, his public profile, his protective detail, and threats he has faced, The Post reported. He has been flanked by protective services and by longtime aide Stefanie Spear on trips using military aircraft.

While in Iowa, Kennedy joined GOP candidates, including Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), who is seeking reelection, and MAGA businessman Zach Lahn, who is running for governor. Both face contested races, according to the Cook Political Report.

The arrangement marks a sharp break from Trump's first term, when he pushed out his first health secretary, Tom Price, over reports that Price relied on private jets for routine travel.

Kennedy's use of the jets has drawn some internal questions, The Post reported. Chris Klomp, a top HHS official Trump has nominated as deputy secretary, questioned whether a government jet was necessary in at least one case, three anonymous sources told The Post. Kennedy agreed and opted not to use one.

'We're barely hanging on': Trump coalition wails as 2028 GOP hopefuls leave it out to dry

The Make America Healthy Again movement that helped President Donald Trump win in 2024 says it's falling apart as it feels abandoned and leaderless.

According to a Friday Politico article, leaders of the coalition said they cannot find a candidate willing to carry their agenda into the 2028 race, and they blame the Trump administration for letting the movement's momentum fade.

"I haven't seen anyone that I'm excited about," said MAHA influencer Kelly Ryerson, who believes issues like regenerative farming and cutting pesticides are politically potent. "And it's weird to me that they aren't being more vocal about it because it's so winning, but they're not."

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fought the maker of Roundup in court earlier in his career, and that bought him favor with MAHA because it considered pesticides toxins that need to be reduced or eliminated. However, in February, the Trump White House sided with pesticide giant Bayer, the maker of Roundup, which "disillusioned" top MAHA leaders, according to Politico.

"When it comes to 2028, I don't think the next president is in the race yet," said Vani Hari, a longtime ally of Kennedy who pushes for healthier ingredients in food.

Vice President JD Vance has drawn little enthusiasm from MAHA despite praising the movement at a 2025 summit, according to Politico. However, MAHA leaders, including Ryerson, say that he hasn't shown a lot of interest.

"He's had an opportunity for the last few years to really dig into that, be involved, speak at things, be really supportive," Alex Clark, who hosts a health and wellness podcast for Turning Point USA, told Politico. "I mean, I've basically heard nothing. So that's a huge missed opportunity."

Meanwhile, a recent joke by Secretary of State Marco Rubio about his love for Pop-Tarts didn't go over well with MAHA, which considers itself at war with processed foods.

"The torch was burning so fierce in 2024, and now it's like flickering," Clark said. "I wouldn't say it's snuffed out totally yet, but jeez Louise, we're barely hanging on."

RFK Jr. gets 'blunt' dressing-down from governor over measles deaths: report

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a rebuke from a governor irked about two of his residents dying from measles.

According to a report by MeidasTouch, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) revealed on Tuesday that he confronted RFK Jr. about "scaring people" with conspiracy theories about vaccines. The confrontation came after two Pennsylvania residents died from measles.

"While I appreciate his willingness to offer staff to assist us, we think we're able to manage this through the Department of Health," Shapiro said during an appearance in Lancaster. According to MeidasTouch, Shapiro also released a statement on Tuesday that confirmed his refusal of RFK Jr.'s offer to send federal personnel to Pennsylvania to respond to the growing measles outbreak.

"I was very, very blunt with him, and I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that's coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America, particularly right here in Pennsylvania," Shapiro said in Lancaster. "There's real life consequences to spreading misinformation."

MeidasTouch reported that Shapiro confronted RFK Jr. just hours after Pennsylvania health officials announced that two unvaccinated residents from Lancaster County had died from measles. The deaths were the first associated with measles in the state of Pennsylvania in 35 years and the first reported in the U.S. this year, MeidasTouch added.

"With the measles outbreak in PA, there are rightfully a lot of concerned Pennsylvanians out there, including parents who are sending their kids back to school this week," Shapiro wrote on Tuesday, per MeidasTouch. "But as your Governor, I want to be clear: this illness is completely preventable and we have the tools necessary."

Pennsylvania has also recorded nearly 400 measles cases this year, and Lancaster County is the epicenter of the state's outbreak. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed nearly 2,800 measles cases as of August 20. The numbers make 2026 the worst year for measles in the United States in 35 years, according to MeidasTouch.

Shapiro laid the blame on RFK Jr. and the Trump administration for pushing vaccine skepticism amid the growing public-health crisis.

"Folks are spreading skepticism about things like the MMR vaccine without any evidence to back up their claims," Shapiro said earlier on Tuesday. "Today, we see the consequences of this lack of immunization in the first measles-associated deaths that our Commonwealth has seen in 35 years."

Elizabeth Warren names 'darker shadow' behind Trump's 'calamitous' food safety mess

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called out the alleged corruption that led to the Trump administration's "calamitous" response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

In a Thursday letter, Warren slammed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration's handling of "the biggest outbreak of cyclosporiasis in U.S. history" and questioned if changes leading up to it had to do with political contributions made by Taylor Farms, the company whose lettuce allegedly spread the parasite.

"The Trump administration's systematic dismantling of the food safety system has hampered the federal government's ability to prevent, identify, and respond to the latest outbreak," she wrote. "Deep funding cuts forced the CDC's Parasitic Division to slash staff responsible for tracking and identifying parasites like cyclospora."

She also pointed out that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center was forced to close and relocate despite being a research hub with two labs that investigate cyclospora, as well as 3,500 personnel cuts at the FDA. However, she was concerned that the policies were fueled by corruption as well as incompetence.

"If these changes were motivated solely by ideology, it would reflect a dangerously bad set of policies by the Trump administration," Warren wrote. "But the specter of corruption — and quid pro quo politics — casts a darker shadow over these actions, particularly if political contributions from Taylor Farms' parent company may have influenced policy changes that subsequently endangered millions of Americans."

She noted in the letter that Taylor Fresh Foods "donated millions to political organizations aligned with the President, including more than $1 million directly to MAGA Inc., and has hired a former Trump White House official to lobby on its behalf." The donations came less than a week after the Trump administration's change to food traceability rules.

"These investments appear to be closely timed to favorable regulatory actions — decisions that were good for Taylor Farms," Warren wrote. "Decisions that were good for Taylor Farms, but appear to have increased the risk of food safety problems like the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak."

'Trump is OUT': President yet again appears to fall asleep in Oval Office

President Donald Trump yet again appeared to fall asleep on Monday after he signed an executive order reducing the recommended childhood vaccine schedule.

Trump was in the Oval Office where he was meeting with several administration officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, to discuss the overhaul to the vaccine schedule.

People noted that Trump's eyes were closed during the press event, in a moment captured on video.

Independent journalist Aaron Rupar shared a clip of Trump apparently dozing off at his desk.

"Holy s--- Trump is OUT," Rupar wrote on X.

Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta shared a meme, "I take a nap right here," with a child lying down in the sand in a post on X.

X account Open Source Intel, which has more than 1.6 million followers, also mocked the president's demeanor.

"The President has been working hard," Open Source Intel posted.

Others sounded off on Trump's apparent snooze.

"Looking very awake and alert sir!" Matt Rein, influencer and creative partnerships manager for the Democratic Party, wrote on X.

"Out like a light," Bluesky account GottaLaff, a progressive political commentator with more than 40,000 followers, wrote.

"I love how they all pretend to not notice him passed the f--- out," author Joshua A. Walker wrote on Bluesky.

holy shit Trump is OUT pic.twitter.com/8XQ2iBmQoW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 10, 2026

RFK Jr. hiding secret presidential campaign right under Trump's nose: biographer

An author suggested that President Donald Trump isn't aware of a secret campaign set in motion by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

During a Thursday episode of "Inside Trump's Head," Michael Wolff, a Trump biographer, interpreted recent moves by Kennedy as steps towards building a 2028 campaign around fears of the food industrial complex.

"Politics at this point in time is the intersection of conspiracy and hypochondria," Wolff said. "RFK Jr. understands that, and that is the circumstance and the issue — the zeitgeist — that he is going to try to run to take him to the presidency."

Wolff pointed to Kennedy's cooking show as an example of his beginning to build that brand, along with his "Make America Healthy Again" campaign and skepticism toward vaccines. Kennedy is tapping into Americans' "intense focus on one's own well-being," Wolff said.

"I think RFK Jr. — still Jr. at 72 — understands this and sees it as a very potent issue," he continued. "He's going to be the food pyramid president."

Co-host Joanna Coles also noted how Kennedy has repeatedly spoken about an "epidemic of loneliness" in the country, which Wolff said is also part of his 2028 campaign.

"It's all a form of hypochondria — of looking at the body assuming all of your problems are related to things going wrong in your body. And things go wrong as soon as you start to think this," Wolff said. "RFK is, in some sense, implanting this idea, and then people go, 'Oh my God, yes — I feel it.'"

Kennedy ran as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election before dropping out and endorsing Trump, reporting by The Daily Beast noted. However, Wolff noted that Vice President JD Vance is also expected to run for president, and he added Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's name to the list.

"Everybody is running for president. Everybody is... exploring their next career step," Wolff said. "RFK Jr. is running for president. Sean Duffy, dark horse, but I'm sure he figures, why not?"

Bill Cassidy snaps at Katie Couric for 'demeaning' Trump's CDC nominee

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) snapped during an interview with veteran journalist Katie Couric when talking about a Trump nominee.

During an episode of Couric's podcast, she dug into what should be the standards for accepting a Trump nominee for a top health official job. Cassidy, a physician, cast the deciding vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary, but he grew visibly irritated when Couric pressed him on Dr. Erica Schwarz, the Trump administration's pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Couric pointed out that Cassidy is the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which means, "You play a central role in vetting nominees who will work directly under Secretary Kennedy, including the nominee for CDC director Dr. Erica Schwarz," Couric told Cassidy. The interview had mostly focused on Kennedy and his questionable health advice and position on vaccines before turning to Schwarz.

"During Dr. Schwarz's recent hearing, I know that you pressed her, Senator, on whether she would challenge Secretary Kennedy, stating, 'We need a CDC director who will stand up to crazy stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,'" Couric recalled. "But the strongest commitment that Dr. Schwarz would make was that she wouldn't quote, 'Betray the science and would lead with integrity.'"

Couric noted that Schwarz reportedly "reassured" Cassidy privately that she would push back against Kennedy, but Couric wanted to know, "Why do you think she couldn't give you that reassurance publicly in the actual hearing?"

Cassidy backed away, saying, "I won't attempt to speak for Dr. Schwarz, but in our private conversation afterwards and from multiple recommendations from those who know her well, she is a woman of high integrity," and assured him she would not "betray the science."

"So an adequate nominee is better than waiting for somebody who, in your view, would be better?" Couric asked.

"You're implying that there could be a better nominee," Cassidy said. "You're demeaning, you're demeaning her...you are demeaning the quality of who she could be, and I will not accept that."

Cassidy conceded Schwarz would face "difficult circumstances," predicting "a certain tension" between a science-based CDC director and a secretary who doesn't share her views.