An outdoor family outing shared online by the nation’s top health official has ignited a firestorm over bacteria-laced waters, his long-standing views, and a dramatic Senate protest.
On May 11, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shared several photos on X. In the images, Kennedy was seen enjoying the outdoors and dipping in Rock Creek with his grandchildren.
While the post showcased a pleasant family outing, it quickly sparked concern online due to Kennedy’s contact with the creek water.
A netizen’s comment on Robert F. Kennedy’s grandkids, dated May 13, 2025 | Source: Facebook/WUSA9
According to the National Park Service (NPS), swimming and wading in Rock Creek are strictly prohibited. The NPS website warns, “Rock Creek has high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens that make swimming, wading, and other contact with the water a hazard to human (and pet) health.”
The agency emphasizes that such activities can endanger personal health and the creek’s ecosystem. It notes that “scrambling in and out of the creek can also erode stream banks,” harming habitats for aquatic wildlife. As a result, all District waterways, including Rock Creek, are under a swim ban.
The photos, shared by Kennedy, drew swift and sharp reactions from social media users. On X, one person wrote, “Too bad there are no people at the National Park Service to tell Kennedy that his actions are dangerous.”
Another said, “Maybe he wasn’t aware.” A third commenter remarked, “Yeah, nothing says refreshing like going for a swim in sewer water.”
Reactions on Facebook were even more pointed. One person questioned, “How is he concerned about what’s in our food, but swimming in some of the worst water imaginable?” Another added, “Where are the kids’ parents? No swimming with grandpa in the sewage! He can swim alone [sic].”
Several people expressed concern for the children involved. One individual penned, “If my children’s grandpa ever allowed my kids to swim in something like that he would never see his grandchildren again.”
Another disgruntled netizen quipped, “I think this would be considered child endangerment.” A different commenter urged, “Pray for his grandchildren where in the world are they parents [sic]?”
As the criticism grew, political figures and media personalities began weighing in. On May 14, Fox News pundit Jesse Watters defended Kennedy during a segment of “The Five.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seen on May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
“That [creek] looks clean,” Watters said, adding, “It doesn’t look like it’s filled with sewage.”
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding Kennedy intensified on another front. The same day, protests erupted during a U.S. Senate committee hearing where Kennedy was giving evidence.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the House Appropriations Committee on May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
Among those arrested was Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, who joined others accusing Kennedy of spreading harmful misinformation.
Protesters shouted, “RFK kills people with AIDS,” holding up posters with the same slogan. Police intervened and arrested seven individuals. Cohen was later released from custody, while others faced additional charges.
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s, is detained by the U.S. Capitol Police for disrupting proceedings during a hearing with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
Earlier that day, Kennedy testified before a House select committee where he addressed the growing scrutiny over his personal views and leadership as head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
When asked whether he would vaccinate his own children against measles, Kennedy responded, “I don’t want to seem like I’m being evasive, but I don’t think people should be taking medical advice, from me.”
He added that he would “probably” vaccinate a child for measles but emphasized that his views were “irrelevant.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seen testifying before the House Appropriations Committee on May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
In a broader discussion about public health policy, Kennedy directed attention to Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), stating that he had to present balanced information to the public.
“I think if I answer that question directly, that it will seem like I’m giving advice to other people, and I don’t want to be doing that,” Kennedy said. Representative Mark Pocan replied, “That’s kind of your jurisdiction.”
The testimony came amid a worsening measles outbreak in the United States, with more than 1,000 confirmed cases and three reported deaths.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pictured on May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images
At the same hearing, lawmakers questioned Kennedy over planned funding cuts, including an $18 billion reduction to the NIH and a $3.6 billion cut to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the administration’s response to the outbreak while promoting a $500 million initiative titled “Make America Healthy Again,” aimed at reducing chronic diseases.
Despite the controversies, the family hike and swim in Rock Creek remains the most widely discussed episode from the past week.
As the debate continues online and across political circles, attention remains focused on public health leadership and personal accountability, especially when it concerns the well-being of children.