Actor Chris Pratt is facing significant criticism after sharing on political commentator Bill Maher’s podcast that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “great” achievements shouldn’t get overlooked simply because people hate President Donald Trump—completely ignoring the fact that Kennedy has single-handedly dealt major blows to public health.
Kennedy is the cousin of Pratt’s wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, the daughter of actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist Maria Shriver.
Pratt said he’s hung out with Kennedy on “a number of occasions,” describing it as a “strictly family dinner kind of vibe.”
He added that he “really got along with him well and think he’s great,” adding:
“He’s funny, he’s wonderful. I love him.”
Then he defended Kennedy’s actions in the realm of public health, though his remarks did not at all acknowledge the actual controversy behind them:
He said:
“For the most part, I wish him well. There’s certain things [that Kennedy] oversees that seem to be supported in a bipartisan way — like getting terrible toxic stuff out of our kids food. I think that’s a great thing. If you just do that, that’s amazing.”
“I’d hate to be so mired in hatred for the president that any success from his administration is something I’d be having an allergic reaction to. To be like, ‘Oh, well, if they do it, I don’t want it to happen. I’ll put Clorox in my children’s cereal myself!’”
“Be reasonable here. There’s certain things that would be a good thing to have. I want them all to be successful.”
You can hear what Pratt said in the video below.
None of Pratt’s words get to the heart of the matter.
The possibility of Kennedy assuming any senior government role raised significant concern among public health leaders and federal employees, who argued, even as Kennedy was taking the reins, that he should not have access to the nation’s public health infrastructure.
For instance, as a prominent anti-vaccine activist, Kennedy has spent years lobbying lawmakers globally, including in Samoa during a deadly 2019 measles outbreak that claimed the lives of dozens of children. While Kennedy’s representatives have denied that he is anti-vaccine, Kennedy has also denied involvement in the Samoa measles crisis.
And earlier this month, Kennedy announced that he’s eliminating 22 contracts—amounting to $500 million in cuts—aimed at developing mRNA vaccines. He claimed funds would instead be redirected toward “safer, broader vaccine platforms” that remain effective as viruses mutate, a move that public health experts say will have devastating consequences.
Kennedy has also, as Pratt acknowledged, pledged to tackle what he calls an “epidemic” of chronic diseases, describing them as an “existential” threat to America’s future. He argues that Americans have been “mass poisoned by big pharma and big food,” blaming federal agencies for failing to intervene.
However, his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement have circulated misleading claims about dietary guidelines, alleging that earlier guidelines were driven by “leftist ideologies” and “special interests.”
Pratt was harshly criticized for his remarks.
Take a seat, Chris.
