TICK TOCK

‘Probably Did’: RFK Jr. Chokes When Pressed on His Wild Claim About What Causes Lyme Disease

Democrats lined up to grill the health secretary nominee for opposing vaccine mandates and making far-off claims about the origins of some diseases.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. conceded Wednesday he “probably did” once say that Lyme disease is a “military-engineered bioweapon.”

Kennedy’s answer came in response to a fiery line of questioning by Sen. Michael Bennet at his confirmation hearing to become Donald Trump’s health secretary.

The Colorado senator—like his Democratic colleagues—asserted that Kennedy’s views on vaccines and diseases were too radical to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“Unlike other jobs we’re confirming around this place, this is a job where it is life and death,” Bennet said.

Bennet called Kennedy out for once asserting that COVID-19 was genetically engineered to target Black people and spare the Chinese and Ashkenazi Jews.

“I didn’t say it was deliberately targeted,” Kennedy countered. “I just quoted an NIH funded, an NIH published study.”

The men briefly tried to talk over each other before Bennet ended the back-and-forth by saying, “I will take that as a yes, I have to move on.”

Next up was the question about whether Kennedy once suggested Lyme disease—a bacterial infection that can be brought on by a tick’s bite—was a military engineered weapon. Kennedy conceded he likely did make the Lyme disease claim, which there is proof of him making as recently as last January. Bennet continued pressing.

“Did you say that exposure to pesticides causes children to become transgender?” he asked next.

Kennedy said he never made such a claim, but Bennet countered he had proof to the contrary. CNN reported in 2023 that Kennedy “repeatedly” made statements that “chemicals in water” are “impacting sexuality of children.”

Bennet’s brutal questioning continued: “Did you write in your book, ‘It’s undeniable that African African AIDS is an entirely different disease from Western aids.’ Yes or no, Mr. Kennedy?”

“I’m not sure,” Kennedy responded.

Bennet saved his final question to press Kennedy about his stance on abortion, which has hardened—from once being unabashedly pro-choice—since he entered the MAGA world this summer. Now, Kennedy says he shares the same position on abortion as Trump does.

“Did you say on a podcast, and I quote, ‘I wouldn’t leave abortion to the states. My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn’t have the government involved, even if it’s full term,’” Bennet asked Kennedy.

He responded: “I believe every abortion is a tragedy.”

Things did not get easier for Kennedy from there. He was grilled particularly hard by Sen. Maggie Hassan, of New Hampshire, who criticized him for speaking against scientifically-backed vaccines.

Hassan had some tongue-in-cheek praise for Kennedy and commended him for his longtime pro-choice stance on abortion. However, the Democrat questioned whether the 71-year-old would stand by his personal beliefs as health secretary or give in to what the MAGA world wants on the matter. Once Kennedy did not commit to keeping his views separate from the president’s, she called him a “sell out.”

“What you’re telling is regardless of what you believe … if President Trump tells you do something, you’re going to do it," Hassan said. “What you’re telling us is, if President Trump orders you to take action to make it harder for women to get dire, needed health care, you’ll follow his order.”

Sheldon Whitehouse echoed his Democratic colleagues. He said Kennedy’s stance on vaccines—like outright opposing vaccination mandates for COVID-19 and once stating that the polio vaccine killed more people than polio itself—were disqualifying.

“Frankly, you frighten people,” said Rhode Island senator, who’s a longtime friend of Kennedy.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren alleged during her allotted time that Kennedy may profit from cutting access to vaccines and vaccine manufacturing “across our country.”

“Kennedy can kill off access to vaccines and make millions of dollars while he does it,” she claimed. “Kids might die, but Robert Kennedy can keep cashing in.”

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Josh FialloBreaking News Reporter

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