Overview
- During Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he “used to snort cocaine from toilet seats” while describing his sobriety and daily recovery meetings, including an in-person “pirate” group during COVID restrictions.
- A short clip of the remark drew millions of views within hours on social media, propelling widespread attention to the interview.
- Patient advocacy group Protect Our Care called for his resignation, and political critics such as Pennsylvania Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta expressed distrust in his leadership.
- Immigration-rights advocates pointed to a perceived double standard given past Trump-era rhetoric that branded drug-involved migrants as severe criminals.
- Kennedy says he has been abstinent for more than four decades since a 1983 heroin arrest and continues to oversee policy efforts, including a recently announced $100 million pilot on homelessness and addiction in eight cities.