Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had his first confirmation hearing on Wednesday as he hopes to be confirmed as the country’s health secretary in the new Donald Trump administration.
Senators asked Kennedy questions about his previous comments regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and other immunizations. He insisted that he isn’t against vaccines, claiming that he’s merely for stricter studies and safety tests for injections.
But Boston Celtics big man Al Horford’s sister Anna took exception to something specific that Kennedy said about vaccines back in 2021. Kennedy alleged that Black people should not be given the same vaccine schedule as white people because Black people have “better” immune systems.
Unfounded beliefs like RFK Jr’s get Black people killed.https://t.co/2syTLhm6si pic.twitter.com/rsreulKbY0
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) January 29, 2025
Despite Kennedy’s words during his hearing on Wednesday, there is plenty of evidence to support the notion that he holds anti-vaccine views.
He previously ran a group called Children’s Health Defense for a whopping eight years, and that organization expressed doubt about the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccines on more than one occasion. It also pushes the belief that vaccines cause autism, a claim that has been debunked.
Kennedy appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance on Wednesday, and the committee will decide whether his nomination advances to the full chamber.
Al Horford might not be focusing all too intently on Kennedy’s confirmation process, as his Celtics are trying to get back to their winning ways after they’ve been in a rut lately. Boston has won just five of its last 10 contests and is on the heels of a loss to the Houston Rockets.
The 38-year-old big man has shown his age at times lately. In his most recent game played against the Dallas Mavericks, he totaled only four points while shooting 2-of-8 from the field and 0-of-2 from 3-point range.
As the season continues, the veteran will look to return to form and help the Celtics push for another NBA title after they claimed the championship last season. Repeating is never an easy task, but Boston will try to do just that.
