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By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, US POLITICAL REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
A California Democrat berated Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr over Donald Trump‘s health during a Capitol Hill hearing on Friday.
Congressman Mark Takano, 65, demanded that the nation’s top health official provide answers on some of Trump’s recent social media posts.
Right off the bat Takano quizzed RFK about a social media post Trump made on Easter Sunday, when he demanded that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz using colorful language and not-so-veiled threats.
‘Open the f***in’ Strait, you crazy ba***rds, or you’ll be living in Hell – just watch! Praise be to Allah,’ Trump wrote in the post, which the Democrat read aloud.
‘Does this raise concerns for you about the President’s mental health?’ Takano asked.
RFK shot back: ‘The president is a bargainer, and he he knows how to make good deals…’
The Democrat shot in, refocusing his question on the President’s mental fitness.
‘Mr. Secretary, you’re not responsive,’ Takano boomed over RFK. ‘Reclaiming my time, Mr. Secretary, I gather the answer. It does not raise concerns for you.’
UHealth and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens as Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) presents an AI image posted by U.S. President Donald Trump depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure, which President Trump said was showing him as a medical professional
RFK did not say whether he was concerned of Trump’s mental fitness
Trump’s social media post depicting himself as Jesus Christ was deleted after backlash from Christian and Catholic conservatives
The liberal then turned to another inflammatory Trump post.
‘President Trump posted this image of himself as Jesus Christ, Mr. Secretary. People across the country and around the world were deeply offended. Millions of Americans are questioning this President’s mental fitness, his emotional stability, and whether he can carry out the duties of his office.’
Takano pressed again on the President’s mental health – and again RFK dodged, prompting the California congressman to lose his temper entirely.
‘Would you vote to invoke the 25th Amendment?’ Takano demanded, referring to the constitutional provision that allows the President’s inner circle to remove him from power on grounds of incapacity.
When Kennedy began to reply without giving a straight yes or no, Takano cut him off.
It was the second bruising day in a row for the HHS Secretary.
On Thursday, Kennedy had faced fierce questioning over remarks he made on a 2024 podcast about black children and ADHD medication.
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) speaks as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr testifies on U.S. President Donald Trump’s budget request during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill
Terri Sewell, a Democrat from Alabama, questioned Kennedy, kicking off a fiery exchange.
‘You said every black kid is now just standardly put on Adderall, SSRIs, benzos, which are known to induce violence, and that those children are going to have to go somewhere to get reparented,’ said Sewell.
Reparenting is a form of psychotherapy where the therapist assumes the role of a parental figure for the client.
‘Have you ever re-parented or parented a black child?’ Sewell then asked.
Kennedy Jr. responded that he was not going to answer for something that he didn’t say.
Sewell then fired back that Kennedy ‘absolutely said it.’
And she was right.
A recording from a June 2024 podcast appearance on ’19Keys’ captured Kennedy saying: ‘Every Black kid is now just standard put on Adderall, on SSRIs, benzos, which are known to induce violence, and those kids are going to have a chance to go somewhere and get re-parented, to live in a community where there’ll be no cellphones, no screens.’
