US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) sparked a new controversy Thursday when he publicly acknowledged his past cocaine use.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed in a podcast interview about his past cocaine use that he required daily meetings. (Photo by Heather Diehl / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)During his conversation on the Theo Vaughn podcast, he candidly recounted his drug addiction and said, “I’m not afraid of a germ.
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“I don’t treat it, which means, for me, going to meetings every day.”RFK Jr. began an interview with comedian Theo Vaughn on the podcast “This Past Weekend w/Theo Vaughn” by talking about how he first met Vaughn.
He detailed during the interview why he felt compelled to attend daily recovery meetings throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, even when most people were relying on virtual support. “We’ve been in recovery together for years,” Kennedy commented.
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RFK Jr. has been in recovery for over 40 years. In the podcast, he talks about how he founded a “pirate” gang of contacts during the pandemic.
He then said, “I said this when we came in, and I said, ‘I don’t care what happens, I’m going to a meeting every day. I’m not afraid of a germ, I’d tear cocaine off the toilet seat. I know this disease will kill me.'”
He added, “I don’t treat it, which, for me, means going to meetings every day,” he said on the podcast.
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Prolonged drug use and MAHARFK Jr. is a longtime environmental advocate and anti-vaccine activist who was confirmed as the 26th HHS Secretary in February 2025.
He has admitted to using cocaine in the past since he has been open about his drug use issues. At the age of 16 he was arrested for possession of marijuana.
In 1983, RFK Jr. was taken into custody in South Dakota for possession of heroin. He says he calmed down after the second arrest.
Since taking office, his leadership has been characterized by unconventional approaches, including restructuring the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative.
Under MAHA, RFK Jr. The phasing out of petroleum-based dyes from American food and drugs has advanced several agendas, such as endorsing naturally derived colors. He has also done advanced research on the causes of autism. RFK Jr. has previously falsely claimed that vaccines cause autism; However, his current alignment on the matter is not mentioned on the official HHS.gov page.
