Robert F. Kennedy Jr., affiliated with the Department of Health and Human Services, has taken a plunge into Washington, D.C.’s notoriously polluted Rock Creek.
He shared an update on social media, mentioning, “A Mother’s Day hike at Dumbarton Oaks Park with Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, Jackson, and a swim with his grandchildren, Bobcat and Cassius from Rock Creek.”
The post featured a picture showing the shirtless HHS secretary fully submerged in the murky waters of the stream.
Rock Creek is known for its high levels of fecal bacteria, as highlighted by the National Park Service (NPS).
In another image, Kennedy Jr. was observed holding his young grandson above the creek, letting the child’s toes touch the water.
The NPS cautions that even though Rock Creek’s water may appear clean and inviting, it could harbor bacteria like “fecal E. coli, giardia, and other potential waterborne illnesses.” Swimming is prohibited in the streams due to significant levels of bacteria and other pathogens.
According to the NPS, contaminants flow from streams and nearby communities via storm drains and rainfall, potentially harming families and pets.
Kennedy Jr. mentioned during his 2012 divorce proceedings that he had “cognitive issues,” which led to doctors discovering dead insects in his brain. He attributed some of his health problems to a worm that he said “went into my brain and ate a portion of it and died.”
In his deposition, he was uncertain about how he contracted the parasite but speculated it might have occurred during a trip to South Asia.
As secretary of HHS, Kennedy Jr. has committed to advancing President Trump’s “American Health” initiative, which focuses on addressing the “childhood chronic disease epidemic.”
Since assuming office, he has promised to investigate the causes of the “autism epidemic” by September and has started removing certain artificial dyes from food manufactured in the U.S.
HHS has not provided any comments regarding the social media post.
