RFK Jr. melts down over NYT report, admits he blacklists reporters

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial Health Secretary known for his anti-vaccine stance, has taken to social media to express his outrage over a New York Times article that claims he is largely uninvolved with the operations of his agency. The article, released on June 7, cites insights from a dozen individuals who have interacted with Kennedy, suggesting that he shows minimal interest in the department's activities and has limited engagement with staff members. The Times report highlighted that Kennedy frequently misses important meetings with agency leaders and has been perceived as disengaged during those he does attend. Furthermore, he is reportedly out of touch with significant decisions, such as the dismissal of Tracy Beth Høeg, a political appointee who was promoted to a key role within the Food and Drug Administration. In response, Kennedy launched a lengthy rebuttal on social media, targeting both the article's author, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, and the New York Times itself. He asserted that a simple review of his supposed public calendar would contradict the article's claims. “All one needs to refute your argument is to glance at my publicly available calendar,” he stated in his post. However, the veracity of Kennedy's claims is under scrutiny, as no evidence of a public calendar has been found. Journalists from Stat News have also reported that they were unaware of any such calendar, despite having made multiple requests for it through the Department of Health and Human Services over the past year. As these developments unfold, the discussion surrounding Kennedy's role and effectiveness as Health Secretary continues to raise eyebrows, reflecting ongoing tensions within the department and the broader public health community.