Joe Kennedy III Demands His Uncle RFK Jr Resign Immediately

In a public fracture of one of America’s most iconic political dynasties, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA)—son of ex-Attorney General Joseph P. Kennedy II and grandson of Robert F. Kennedy—issued a scathing demand on September 5, for his uncle, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to immediately resign.

The blistering statement, posted on X, accused RFK Jr. of endangering public health by “dismissing science, misleading the public, sidelining experts, and sowing confusion” during a contentious Senate Finance Committee hearing the day prior.

This isn’t just familial discord; it’s a high-stakes clash over the soul of American health policy, pitting Kennedy family progressives against RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, which critics decry as a Trojan horse for vaccine skepticism and regulatory rollback.

Joe Kennedy’s intervention, amplified by sharp jabs from cousin Jack Schlossberg (grandson of President John F. Kennedy), shows a deepening rift that began with RFK Jr.’s 2024 Trump endorsement and has now boiled over into calls for ouster amid rising measles cases and eroded trust in federal health agencies.

As HHS Secretary since Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, RFK Jr. has overseen sweeping changes—from firing the CDC director to probing “toxins” in water and food—that his nephew warns will inflict “heartbreak” on vulnerable families nationwide.

With the 2026 midterms looming and public health crises like avian flu on the horizon, this intra-Kennedy war could ripple through Democratic strategy and public confidence in Trump’s cabinet.

RFK Jr.’s Fiery Senate Showdown and Family Backlash

The catalyst was RFK Jr.’s September 4, testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, where he defended his overhaul of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Grilled by both Republican and Democratic senators, Kennedy doubled down on long-held views: questioning COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, touting unproven “alternative” treatments, and blaming “corporate capture” for chronic disease epidemics. He clashed with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) over measles vaccine hesitancy—up 15% nationally since his appointment, per CDC data—and sparred with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on fluoride’s alleged neurotoxicity, calling it a “mind-control chemical.”

The hearing, billed as an oversight on Trump’s 2026 health budget, devolved into chaos: Kennedy accused critics of “Big Pharma shilling,” prompting Warren to retort, “You’re the one selling snake oil from the HHS podium.” Viewership spiked to 8.2 million on C-SPAN, with #RFKJrGrilled trending worldwide. By evening, family voices piled on.

Joe Kennedy III’s X post, viewed over 1.2 million times, laid bare the betrayal: “Robert Kennedy Jr. is a threat to the health and well-being of every American. A United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is tasked with protecting the public health of our country and its people. At yesterday’s hearing, he chose to do the opposite: to dismiss science, mislead the public, sideline experts [and] sow confusion.”

He evoked universal vulnerability: “None of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting… It doesn’t matter how rich or powerful you are or what state you live in—the heartbreak of watching a loved one fall ill knows no borders.” Closing with a clarion call: “The challenges before us—from disease outbreaks to mental health crises—demand moral clarity, scientific expertise, and leadership rooted in fact. Those values are not present in the Secretary’s office. He must resign.”

Jack Schlossberg, the 32-year-old son of Caroline Kennedy and attorney at Blue State Digital, live-tweeted the hearing with brutal flair: “RFK LOSER is choking so badly LIVE.” Replying to Joe’s post, he amplified: “Couldn’t agree more—RFK LOSER IS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH and AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP. WHO PLEASURES HIMSELF by lying to Congress.”

Schlossberg’s barbs, blending Gen-Z snark with patrician outrage, racked up 450K likes, positioning him as the family’s digital warrior.

Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr.’s sister and human rights advocate, joined the fray with her own statement: “The decimation of critical institutions like the NIH and CDC under his watch is unforgivable. Enough is enough. Secretary Kennedy must resign. Now.” This chorus from siblings and nephews—once a united front against Trump—signals a full Kennedy mutiny.

From 2024 Endorsement to 2025 Implosion

The Kennedy schism isn’t new; it fractured publicly in August 2024 when five siblings (including Kerry and Courtney Kennedy) branded RFK Jr.’s Trump pivot a “betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear.”

Caroline Kennedy, in a January 2025 letter to senators, called him a “predator addicted to attention and power,” urging a block on his nomination—yet confirmed 52-48 along party lines.

Joe Kennedy III, who lost a 2020 Senate primary to Ed Markey, had stayed relatively silent post-endorsement, focusing on nonprofit work via Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

But RFK Jr.’s HHS tenure—marked by a 20% drop in childhood vaccination rates in red states and lawsuits over fluoride mandates—pushed him over the edge. At the October 2025 STAT Summit, Joe reiterated: “I’ve got grave concerns… This isn’t about family; it’s about lives.”

Sources close to the family say Ethel Kennedy, RFK Jr.’s 97-year-old mother, privately expressed “disapproval” at Joan Bennett Kennedy’s funeral, whispering to Joe, “He’s lost his way.”

Schlossberg, JFK’s only living grandson, has been the most vocal, live-tweeting hearings and memeing RFK Jr. as “the family black sheep on steroids.” His posts, like “Better late than never!” under Joe’s statement, highlight generational fury: Millennials and Gen Z Kennedys viewing RFK Jr.’s MAHA as regressive, clashing with Camelot’s legacy of evidence-driven progressivism.

RFK Jr.’s Response and White House Defiance

RFK Jr. fired back on X: “The real threat is the corrupt cabal silencing dissent. My family knows better—they’ve seen the data. Resign? I’ll resign when Big Pharma does.” Trump, breaking from Kennedy on vaccines (“They work, pure and simple”), stood firm: “I like RFK—he’s different, shakes things up.” Aides say Kennedy’s “unfired” status stems from his DOGE role with Elon Musk, where he’s axed $150B in “wasteful” health regs.

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HAPPENING NOW

• RFK Jr Links Circumcision, Tylenol to Autism as Experts Slam Alarmism
• Google Will Reinstate Banned Political YouTube Accounts
• Trump Admin’s WISeR Pilot Targets ‘Waste’ with Prior Authorization—But at What Cost to Seniors?

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Public polls reflect the divide: A September KFF survey showed 58% of Democrats (up from 45%) view RFK Jr. unfavorably, with 72% of independents worried about vaccine access. Measles outbreaks in unvaxxed clusters—12 cases in Texas by November—have amplified calls, with the AMA filing an ethics complaint.

Perfect Storm of Politics, Science, and Legacy

This feud transcends nepotism; it’s a microcosm of America’s health wars. RFK Jr.’s confirmation squeaked through on promises of “transparency,” but his hearing exposed the chasm: 65% of Americans trust CDC data (Gallup, Oct. 2025), yet Kennedy’s 40% approval among Republicans fuels base loyalty. For Democrats, Joe’s voice—polished, relatable—could galvanize opposition, especially in MA’s 2026 Senate race.

Psychologically, it’s Oedipal: RFK Jr. invoking his father’s assassination for gravitas, while nephews reclaim the mantle. Economically, HHS cuts ($200B proposed) risk rural clinic closures, hitting Kennedy strongholds. Broader? Amid mpox surges, this erodes herd immunity—WHO warns of 10% global vax gap.

Joe’s warning rings prophetic: “No one spared.” As winter looms, with flu season and potential H5N1 waves, the stakes are life-or-death. Will RFK Jr. dig in, or fold under family pressure? History suggests Kennedys fight—but at what cost to public trust?