Healthcare group urges RFK Jr to resign after remarks on cocaine and toilet seats | Robert F Kennedy Jr
A leading health advocacy group is calling on US Surgeon General Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who downplayed the risks of Covid-19, to resign, saying: “I’m not afraid of germs. I used to snort cocaine from toilet bowls.”
Kennedy, who was appointed secretary of the federal health and human services (HHS) department despite his apparent declaring that anti-vaccine activismdid this explanation On the Feb. 12 episode of Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast.
Brad Woodhouse, president of Protect Us, Issue A one-word explanation for Kennedy’s comments: “Resign.”
The group added that Kennedy’s comment about cocaine — which has led to nearly 30,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. as recently as 2023 — continues to make clear why he is the most dangerous person to run such an important federal agency.
On the podcast, Kennedy talked about the medicine, referencing her continued in-person recovery meetings during the pandemic. “Like, if I don’t, if I don’t treat, which for me would mean going to meetings every day, that would be bad for my life,” said Kennedy, who has spoken publicly about his past struggles with drug addiction.
The comment marked another controversial moment for Kennedy in his first year as health secretary in Donald Trump’s White House. He has also faced criticism for his handling of measles outbreaks in the United States that left scores of people dead from a disease that was declared eradicated from the country in 2000.
In the midst of these epidemics, Kennedy portrayed the measles vaccine, long proven safe, as a personal choice rather than a universal need, and promoted bogus treatments instead.
The health minister’s new dietary rules also increased concerns that prioritizing meat and dairy products would lead to health problems. Critics add that the push for meat-heavy diets will deal a major blow to the environment as forests are razed to make way for farmland.
Meanwhile, the public’s trust in Kennedy and the American healthcare system diminished.
A new KFF questionnaire It was determined that “the majority of the public continues to disapprove” [Kennedy’s] performance as [health] secretary and his take on U.S. vaccine policy.”
Democratic representative Diana DeGette of Colorado criticized Kennedy’s tenure in a post on X: saying: “public health cannot endure this situation for another year.”
When asked for comment, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said: “Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, HHS is using its full authority to deliver results to the American people.
“In 2025, the Department confronted long-standing public health challenges with transparency, courage, and gold-standard science… HHS will carry that momentum into 2026 to strengthen accountability, put patients first, and protect public health,” he added.
