Robert F. Kennedy on Wednesday followed up the news of a “worm” that was discovered dead inside his brain in 2010 by boasting that he could eat five or six and still beat Donald Trump and Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential race.
The dead parasite, dubbed a “worm,” was initially reported by The New York Times on Wednesday. Kennedy described the incident in a 2012 deposition reviewed by the Times. The incident occurred in 2010, when Kennedy was suffering from memory loss. Doctors initially diagnosed it as a brain tumor. It was only as he was packing for his procedure when he received a call from a doctor at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital that believed his issues were “caused by a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died,” Kennedy said in the deposition.
His campaign assured Reuters that the incident occurred more than a decade ago and that the independent candidate was fit for the White House. Kennedy spokeswoman Stefanie Spear said he “traveled extensively in Africa, South America, and Asia in his work as an environmental advocate, and in one of those locations contracted a parasite. The issue was resolved more than 10 years ago, and he is in robust physical and mental health.”
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The Kennedy campaign has used RFK Jr.’s apparent good health to provide a contrast with both Biden, 81, and Trump, 77. Last month, the campaign posted video of him alongside professional snowboarder Travis Rice. Last week, he posted a video of him swimming with sharks.
Kennedy told the Times he had fully recovered from the parasite and no longer had issues memory loss and fogginess. The incident did not require treatment, he said, with Spear claiming, “That is a hilarious suggestion, given the competition,” when asked if Kennedy’s health issues would be problematic for a presidency.
On Wednesday, Kennedy followed up with an even bolder offer “to eat 5 more brain worms and still beat President Trump and President Biden in a debate,” he wrote in a post on X, following up with another: “I feel confident of the result even with a six-worm handicap.”
The post even saw Elon Musk chime in, pleading to host the debate–in the unlikely event it ever happened–on the X Spaces platform, with none other than former Fox host Tucker Carlson moderating.
“I’m in!” Kennedy replied. No word yet from either Trump or Biden, though Trump has in the past claimed Kennedy does not have the numbers to even consider a debate. Polling shows Kennedy has little chance at beating either.
Kennedy has become a vocal supporter of the anti-vaccine movement in recent years with a penchant for conspiracy. Last month, his campaign sent a fundraising email that called Jan. 6 rioters “activists.”
Kennedy family members have joined public health experts to criticize the 2024 presidential wannabe. The family has labeled his comments as dangerous and more than a dozen members have openly endorsed Biden.
