Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised eyebrows during a Mother's Day outing with his family in Washington, DC.
According to the New York Post, Kennedy took a plunge into Rock Creek's polluted waters, where swimming is prohibited due to dangerous levels of fecal bacteria and other infectious pathogens.
The controversial cabinet member shared photos on social media platform X showing him swimming in the contaminated creek with his grandchildren. The images captured Kennedy completely submerged in the water and dangling his young grandson Bobcat over the creek, allowing the child's toes to touch the water's surface.
The National Park Service has explicitly banned swimming and wading in Rock Creek due to the presence of harmful bacteria. These include fecal coliform, Giardia, and various waterborne illnesses that pose significant health risks to humans and animals.
Environmental contamination in the creek stems from chemicals flowing through storm drains and rainfall from surrounding communities. The park service emphasizes that despite the water's clean and inviting appearance, these contaminants can cause illness in humans and pets alike.
The HHS secretary's decision to ignore these warnings comes with particular irony, given his role as the nation's top health official. His actions directly contradict public health guidelines established to protect citizens from waterborne diseases.
The swimming incident recalls Kennedy's previous health struggles detailed in his 2012 divorce proceedings. During a deposition, he revealed experiencing cognitive problems that doctors later traced to an unusual source.
Medical professionals discovered a deceased worm in Kennedy's brain tissue that had consumed a portion of his brain matter. While uncertain about the parasite's origin, Kennedy suggested he may have contracted it during travel to South Asia.
These past medical issues make his choice to swim in contaminated waters particularly puzzling to public health experts and observers.
Since assuming leadership of HHS under President Trump's administration, Kennedy has championed several notable health campaigns. His primary focus centers on addressing what he terms the "childhood chronic disease epidemic" and advancing Trump's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.
Kennedy has set ambitious goals for his tenure, including a pledge to identify the root cause of rising autism rates by September. His department has also taken steps to remove several artificial food dyes from the American food supply.
The secretary's regulatory actions reflect his longstanding interest in environmental health factors. However, his recent recreational choices appear to contradict his professional mission of protecting public health.
The Mother's Day swim in Rock Creek has sparked discussions about Kennedy's decision-making abilities as Health and Human Services Secretary. His choice to expose himself and his grandchildren to contaminated waters despite clear warnings from the National Park Service raises concerns about his judgment. The incident occurred during what Kennedy described as a family hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park with several family members, including his grandchildren Bobcat and Cassius. Photos shared on social media showed the group's activities, which expanded beyond hiking to include the prohibited swim.
