A bitter family fight burst into politics this week. It started with a TV hit and spilled into the briefing room.
Jack Schlossberg, the son of diplomat Caroline Kennedy and grandson of President John F. Kennedy, went on MSNBC. He targeted his cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves in the current administration. He used sharp language and pushed a warning.
“He put a collar on my cousin, RFK Jr., and has him there barking, spreading lies and spreading misinformation,” Jack Schlossberg said.
Schlossberg also said Trump is “obsessed” with the Kennedy family and that is why Kennedy holds a Cabinet post. He doubled down with a personal attack meant to sting.
“RFK Jr. is a dangerous person who is making life-and-death decisions as secretary of Health and Human Services,” Jack Schlossberg said.
He went even further with a swipe at Kennedy’s public image and outside projects.
“I mean, when he’s not making infomercials for Steak ‘n Shake and Coca-Cola, he’s spreading misinformation and lies that are leading to deaths around the country,” Jack Schlossberg said.
The White House did not let those lines hang unanswered. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the comments during a briefing with reporters. She moved quickly to defend the secretary and the administration’s health agenda.
“I don’t even think such ridiculous comments are worth responding to,” Karoline Leavitt said.
“Obviously, those things are not true. And Secretary Kennedy is doing a phenomenal job bringing transparency and the gold standard of silent science back to our health care system,” Karoline Leavitt said.
Schlossberg’s media push arrived as he launched a bid to run for the U.S. House in New York in the 2026 cycle. If successful, he would seek to replace Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District. The announcement added fuel to an already heated exchange.
Schlossberg also pointed to policy moves that drew headlines earlier this year. He criticized the decision to fire advisors on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine panel in June. He tied that to rising measles cases that hit places like West Texas. State officials said that outbreak ended in August.
The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment to one outlet. The White House, however, made clear it stands by the secretary’s record. The press shop framed the attacks as baseless and stressed the administration’s priorities.
Schlossberg is 32. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022 and joined Vogue as a political correspondent in 2024. His profile gives him a platform that gets attention when he speaks.
The feud now sits at an intersection of family legacy, policy, and campaign season. It touches the Kennedy name, a key Cabinet role, and a prominent press stage. It also tests how much heat the White House is willing to absorb for a top official.
What happens next could shift with the news cycle. More interviews may follow. More statements may land.
For now, both sides are dug in. The words stand on their own, and the country heard them. The spotlight is not moving away anytime soon.