Challenges Faced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, and member of the Kennedy family, is the son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. He currently serves as the 26th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. is also known for his anti-vaccine activism and promotion of conspiracy theories.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1963: Assassination of John F. Kennedy

In 1963, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was nine years old, his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated.

1968: Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy

In 1968, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was 14, his father was assassinated while running for president. Robert learned of his father's shooting while at Georgetown Preparatory School.

1975: Martha Moxley Murder

In 2003, Kennedy wrote an article for the Atlantic Monthly about the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley in Greenwich, Connecticut, and discusses his cousin Michael Skakel's indictment for the murder.

1980: Beginning of hostility towards environment within Republican Party

In a 2020 interview, Kennedy stated that since 1980, there has been a growing hostility towards the environment within the Republican Party.

July 1983: Resigned After Failing Bar Exam

In July 1983, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resigned as an assistant district attorney for Manhattan after failing the New York bar exam.

September 16, 1983: Charged with Heroin Possession

On September 16, 1983, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was charged with heroin possession in Rapid City, South Dakota.

February 1984: Pleaded Guilty to Heroin Possession

In February 1984, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of possession of heroin. He was sentenced to two years of probation and community service. After his arrest, he entered a drug treatment center.

1989: Approval of Vaccines Linked to Food Allergies

Kennedy wrote the foreword to The Peanut Allergy Epidemic, in which he and the authors falsely link increasing food allergies in children to certain vaccines that were approved beginning in 1989.

1990: Assisted Pehuenches Against Dam Construction

In 1990, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assisted indigenous Pehuenches in Chile in a partially successful campaign to stop the construction of dams on Chile's Biobío River, derailing all but one of the proposed dams.

1992: Assisted Cree Indians Against Hydro-Québec

Beginning in 1992, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assisted the Cree Indians of northern Quebec in their campaign against Hydro-Québec to halt construction of some 600 proposed dams on eleven rivers in James Bay.

1993: Clashed with Environmental Groups over Indigenous Rights

In 1993, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NRDC clashed with other American environmental groups in a dispute about the rights of Indians to govern their own lands in the Oriente region of Ecuador. Kennedy represented CONFENIAE in negotiations with Conoco to limit oil development and obtain benefits for Amazonian tribes, while also criticizing Texaco's past pollution record.

1995: Declared Persona Non Grata in Alberta

In 1995, Premier Ralph Klein of Alberta declared Kennedy persona non grata in the province due to his activism against Alberta's large-scale hog production facilities.

2000: Rehiring of William Wegner

In 2000, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insisted on rehiring William Wegner at Riverkeeper. This decision led to resignations from the board due to Wegner's past environmental crimes conviction.

2001: Sued U.S. Navy and Arrested in Vieques Protest

In 2001, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sued the U.S. Navy on behalf of fishermen and residents of Vieques, Puerto Rico, to stop weapons testing. He argued the activities were unnecessary and illegally harmed endangered species, polluted waters, damaged health, and the economy. He was arrested for trespassing at Camp Garcia Vieques and served 30 days in a maximum security prison.

2002: Smithfield Foods Lawsuit in Poland

In 2002, Smithfield Foods sued Kennedy in Poland for criticizing the company in a debate with Smithfield's Polish director before the Polish parliament.

2003: Article on the Martha Moxley Murder Case

In 2003, Kennedy published an article in The Atlantic Monthly about the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley, arguing for Michael Skakel's innocence and suggesting Kenneth Littleton as the possible killer.

2003: Criticism of Bush's Environmental and Energy Policies

Throughout the presidency of George W. Bush, including in 2003, Kennedy criticized Bush's environmental and energy policies, stating that Bush was defunding and corrupting federal science projects and was critical of Bush's hydrogen car initiative.

2004: Endorsement of John Kerry and Allegations of Election Fraud

In 2004, Kennedy endorsed John Kerry for president, citing Kerry's environmental record. After Kerry's loss to George W. Bush, Kennedy wrote an article for Rolling Stone alleging fraudulent results and a stolen election, based on discrepancies in exit polling and voter disenfranchisement.

2004: Allegations of Stolen Presidential Election

In June 2006, Kennedy published an article alleging that the 2004 presidential election was stolen for George W. Bush.

2005: Opposed Cape Wind Project

In 2005, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashed with national environmental groups over his opposition to the Cape Wind Project, a proposed offshore wind farm in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He sided with the commercial fishing industry, arguing it was a costly boondoggle, leading to criticism from environmentalists and commentators.

June 2006: Publication of Article on 2004 Presidential Election

In June 2006, Kennedy published an article in Rolling Stone alleging that GOP operatives stole the 2004 presidential election for George W. Bush, an argument that was widely regarded as a conspiracy theory.

2008: Campaigning for Obama and EPA Administrator Consideration

Following the Democratic Convention in 2008, Kennedy campaigned for Obama across the country. The Obama administration considered Kennedy for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency but ultimately decided against it due to his controversial statements and past arrest.

2010: Onset of Memory Loss

In 2010, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began experiencing severe short- and long-term memory loss and mental fog.

October 2012: Call to direct dissatisfaction toward Congress

During an October 2012 interview with Politico, Kennedy urged environmentalists to focus their dissatisfaction on Congress rather than President Barack Obama, citing a partisan Congress as the reason for Obama's lack of progress. He criticized politicians who do not address climate change and accused Charles and David Koch of subverting democracy.

2012: Neurological Issues Attributed to Worm and Mercury Poisoning

In a 2012 divorce court deposition, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attributed his neurological issues to "a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died", in addition to mercury poisoning from eating large quantities of tuna.

February 2013: Arrest During Keystone XL Pipeline Protest

In February 2013, Kennedy and his son, Conor, were arrested for blocking a thoroughfare in front of the White House while protesting the Keystone XL Pipeline.

2013: Fracking Ban in New York State

In 2013, as a member of Governor Andrew Cuomo's fracking commission, Kennedy helped engineer a ban on fracking in New York State.

2014: Remarks during the People's Climate March

During the 2014 People's Climate March, Kennedy described the Koch brothers as leading "the apocalyptical forces of Ignorance and Greed" and highlighted their significant financial contributions to efforts against climate bills.

2015: Effort Against Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities

In 2015, Kennedy mounted a national effort against the construction of liquefied natural gas facilities.

2015: Remarks on Politicians Skeptical of Global Warming

In a 2015 interview, Kennedy expressed a desire for a law to punish politicians skeptical of global warming. He emphasized that environmentalists should focus on tackling the "carbon industry."

August 2016: Dakota Access Pipeline Protest

In August 2016, Kennedy and Waterkeepers participated in protests to block the extension of the Dakota Access pipeline across the Sioux Indian Standing Rock Reservation's water supply.

2016: Remarks on Donald Trump and his Supporters

In 2016, Kennedy described supporters of presidential candidate Donald Trump as "belligerent idiots" and suggested some were "outright Nazis". He also called Trump a "bully" and a "threat to democracy", comparing him to Adolf Hitler and George Wallace.

2016: Release of "Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent over a Decade in Prison for a Murder He Didn't Commit"

In 2016, Kennedy released the book "Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent over a Decade in Prison for a Murder He Didn't Commit", further arguing for Skakel's innocence in the Martha Moxley murder case.

Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent over a Decade in Prison for a Murder He Didn't Commit

Check it on Amazon

June 2017: Remarks on the Oil Industry's Strategy

In a June 2017 interview on EnviroNews, Kennedy discussed the oil industry's strategy, stating their goal is to build as many miles of pipeline as possible to increase infrastructure investment and prevent the country from moving away from it.

2017: Sued Monsanto over Roundup

In 2017, Kennedy and his partners sued Monsanto in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of plaintiffs seeking damages for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, alleging it resulted from exposure to Monsanto's glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup. They also filed a class action lawsuit against Monsanto for failing to warn consumers about Roundup's alleged dangers.

September 2018: Filed Class-Action Lawsuit Against Columbia Gas

In September 2018, Kennedy and his partners filed a class-action lawsuit against Columbia Gas of Massachusetts alleging negligence following gas explosions in three towns north of Boston. Kennedy criticized Columbia Gas for ignoring its existing infrastructure while building new pipelines.

2020: Criticism of Market Rules

In 2020, Kennedy criticized the market, stating that the rules were written by carbon incumbents to reward the "dirtiest, filthiest, most poisonous, most toxic, most war-mongering fields from hell", rather than clean and green fields.

2020: Criticism of Trump's environmental policies

In a 2020 interview on Yahoo Finance's "Influencers with Andy Serwer", Kennedy described President Trump's environmental policies as a "cataclysm" and part of a trend in the Republican Party toward hostility towards the environment and corporate power.

2020: Support for Green New Deal

In a 2020 interview, Kennedy stated his support for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal resolution, advocating for market-based mechanisms like carbon taxes and the elimination of subsidies.

February 2021: Kennedy's Instagram Account Blocked for Vaccine Misinformation

In February 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account was blocked for "repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines".

February 2021: Kennedy's Instagram Account Deleted

In February 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account was deleted "for repeatedly sharing debunked claims" about COVID-19 vaccines.

March 2021: Kennedy Identified as Top Anti-Vaccine Content Spreader

In March 2021, The Center for Countering Digital Hate identified Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as one of 12 people responsible for up to 65% of anti-vaccine content on Facebook and Twitter.

May 2021: Kennedy Petitions FDA to Rescind COVID Vaccine Authorization

In May 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. petitioned the FDA to rescind authorization for all current and future COVID vaccines, which had saved about 140,000 lives in the United States. An immunology professor called Kennedy's request "an appalling error of judgment".

September 2021: YouTube account removed for vaccine misinformation

In late September 2021, Kennedy's YouTube account was terminated for violating the platform's policies regarding vaccine misinformation.

2022: Criticism of Biden administration's role in Ukraine invasion

In 2022, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the Biden administration's actions were a major cause of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, particularly citing NATO expansion. At the same time, he clarified that his criticism should not be taken as support for Putin's government, which he ethically opposes and characterized Putin as a "monster", "thug", and "gangster".

2023: Views on Nuclear Power

In 2023, Kennedy expressed his opposition to conventional nuclear power, arguing that it is unsafe and not economically competitive, and views nuclear energy as a profit-making venture promoted by corporate lobbyists.

2023: Views on Environmentalism

In 2023, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed to be the "leading environmentalist in the country" and criticized figures like Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum for allegedly hijacking the climate crisis. He advocates for populist and anti-establishment environmental policies.

May 2024: Lost Libertarian Party's Nomination for President

In May 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was considered for the Libertarian Party's nomination for president but lost to Chase Oliver. The Colorado Libertarian Party selected Kennedy, but Oliver appeared on the ballot.

December 2024: Nobel Laureates Urged Opposition to Kennedy's Nomination

In December 2024, more than 75 Nobel Laureates urged the U.S. Senate to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination, stating that he would "put the public's health in jeopardy".

2024: Endorsement of Trump for president

In 2024, Kennedy endorsed Trump for president at a Trump campaign rally in Arizona.

January 9, 2025: Doctors Urged Senate to Oppose Nomination

As of January 9, 2025, over 17,000 doctors from Committee to Protect Health Care signed an open letter urging the Senate to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination, arguing he undermines public confidence in vaccines and spreads false claims.

January 2025: Senate Committee Hearings on Kennedy's Nomination

In January 2025, the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) held hearings regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination. Senator Bernie Sanders was critical of Kennedy during the hearings.

January 24, 2025: Organizations Oppose Kennedy's Nomination

On January 24, 2025, over 80 organizations voiced their opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination. Gregg Gonsalves compared putting Kennedy in charge of a health agency to "putting a flat earther in charge of NASA."

February 13, 2025: Senate Confirms Kennedy as Secretary of Health

On February 13, 2025, the Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services by a vote of 52 to 48. Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, was the sole Republican to vote against Kennedy, criticizing efforts to revoke the polio vaccine approval.