Jack Schlossberg, a Democratic congressional candidate and grandson of President John F. Kennedy, criticized his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA movement.
The dispute highlights a growing rift within the Kennedy family over public health messaging and political priorities during a period of significant economic volatility.
During an interview on NBC's "Here's the Scoop" program, Schlossberg said the MAHA movement relies on redundant messaging. "He repeats wellness talking points that everybody already agrees on," Schlossberg said [1]. He suggested that these generic claims distract from the immediate needs of citizens, specifically those struggling to buy groceries [1].
Schlossberg, who is 33 [4], questioned the motivations behind the movement's rhetoric. "I wanna know who is paying for the words that come out of his mouth," Schlossberg said [2]. He said the messaging does not include medical knowledge [3].
These comments were first made on Oct. 29, 2023 [1]. While the criticism focused on policy and rhetoric, other reports indicate the friction has manifested in more personal ways. Some accounts suggest Schlossberg mocked his cousin with a "MAHA Man" costume [3], while other reports claim he delivered a subpoena and a bottle of Tylenol to the office of Kennedy [3].
Schlossberg has expressed a desire to use his potential political office to scrutinize his relative. He said he looks forward to investigating his cousin if he is elected to Congress [2].
“"He repeats wellness talking points that everybody already agrees on"”
This conflict represents a clash between traditional Democratic political platforms and the populist, wellness-focused movement led by RFK Jr. By framing the MAHA movement as a distraction from grocery insecurity, Schlossberg is attempting to pivot the conversation from ideological health debates to material economic concerns that typically resonate more with a broader congressional constituency.
