US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr faced backlash on Wednesday for remarks made at a campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in which he asserted that Arabs do not win major awards in science or literature. The comments, part of an attack on the Muslim Brotherhood, were condemned by Muslim advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers as racist and bigoted, coming in the heated final stretch of a closely watched Senate race against Muslim Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
Kennedy was speaking at a Monday night event in support of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. He said there were 500 million Arabs in the world yet "they don't produce science, they don't win the Nobel prize, they don't win the Fields prize, they don't win the Wolf prize, they don't produce literature." An Associated Press factcheck published on Tuesday showed that Arabs have won or been short-listed for those awards in recent years.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called the remarks "a textbook display of unvarnished racism and bigotry", and Protect Our Care condemned his "wildly racist tirade". Rep. Hillary Scholten, a Democrat who represents west Michigan, said the comments were "disgraceful and have no place in public service" and noted that Arab Americans are "our neighbors, colleagues, health care professionals, scientists, educators, and public servants."
Kennedy's comments were part of a broader attack on the Muslim Brotherhood, which he said had "created stagnant societies", contrasting this with what he called a "golden age" of Islamic tolerance and science. The remarks come in a Senate race in which other Trump administration officials have tried to paint El-Sayed as a supporter of Islamic radicalism. US President Donald Trump called El-Sayed "a jihadist" at a rally on Sunday, and Vice-President JD Vance said El-Sayed would lead rioters. El-Sayed has repeatedly denied ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which he disavowed in a town hall event last week. Sen. Chris Murphy, campaigning for El-Sayed, said the coordinated attacks seek to "delegitimize Muslim Americans, not just as citizens but as humans."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The US Health Secretary making demonstrably false claims about an entire ethnicity raises questions about his fitness for office and the politicization of his role.
- The remarks underscore the highly ethnic and religion-charged rhetoric defining the Michigan Senate race, a key battleground for control of the Senate.
- It highlights a broader national trend of political candidates facing attacks designed to link them to extremism based on their faith.
Background
The Michigan Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers is one of the most closely watched in the country. The Trump administration has made El-Sayed's Muslim faith and alleged past links to a mentorship program connected to the Muslim Brotherhood a central line of attack. Kennedy's appearance for Rogers, alongside comments from Trump and Vance, represents a coordinated push on the campaign trail to paint El-Sayed as an extremist. An Associated Press factcheck directly rebutted Kennedy's specific claims about Arab achievement in science and literature.
Key Perspectives
Council on American-Islamic Relations: called Kennedy's remarks "a textbook display of unvarnished racism and bigotry".
Rep. Hillary Scholten: said the comments were "disgraceful and have no place in public service" and noted the contributions of Arab Americans.
Sen. Chris Murphy: said the coordinated campaign aims to "delegitimize Muslim Americans, not just as citizens but as humans".
US President Donald Trump: called El-Sayed "a jihadist".
Vice-President JD Vance: claimed El-Sayed would lead rioters.
What to Watch
- Whether the controversy shifts polling in the tightly contested Michigan Senate race between Rogers and El-Sayed.
- Potential for further escalation in rhetoric from both campaigns as the midterms approach.
- Broader reaction from medical and scientific communities regarding Kennedy's public statements as health secretary.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRFK Jr faced backlash on Wednesday over remarks at a Michigan campaign stop.World news | The Guardian: “Robert F Kennedy Jr , the US health secretary, faced backlash on Wednesday for a “wildly racist tirade” during a campaign stop in Michigan”
- Partly supportedThe remarks were condemned as racist and bigoted by Muslim advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers.World news | The Guardian: “The Council on American-Islamic Relations called Kennedy’s Islamophobic remarks “a textbook display of unvarnished racism and bigotry” ... Hillary Scholten ... said Kennedy’s comments were “disgraceful and have no place in public service”.”
- Not in the sourcesThe Senate race was in a heated final stretch and was closely watched or tight.World news | The Guardian: “Mike Rogers, the Republican US Senate candidate who is trailing his Democratic midterms opponent Abdul El-Sayed , a Muslim, in polling.”
- SupportedKennedy asserted that Arabs do not win major awards in science or literature, saying there were 500 million Arabs in the world.World news | The Guardian: “Kennedy was speaking at the Monday night event in Grand Rapids in support of Mike Rogers, the Republican US Senate candidate ... “There’s 500 million Arabs in the world, and yet they don’t produce science, they don’t win the Nobel prize, they don’t win the Fields prize, they don’t win the Wolf prize, they don’t produce literature,” Kennedy said.”
- SupportedAn AP factcheck published Tuesday showed that Arabs had won or been shortlisted for those awards in recent years.World news | The Guardian: “A factcheck published on Tuesday by the Associated Press showed that Arabs have won, or been short-listed, for all those awards in recent years.”
- SupportedCAIR called Kennedy’s remarks “a textbook display of unvarnished racism and bigotry”.World news | The Guardian: “The Council on American-Islamic Relations called Kennedy’s Islamophobic remarks “a textbook display of unvarnished racism and bigotry””
- SupportedProtect Our Care condemned Kennedy’s “wildly racist tirade”.World news | The Guardian: “the US healthcare advocacy organization Protect Our Care condemned his “wildly racist tirade”.”
- SupportedScholten said Kennedy’s comments were “disgraceful and have no place in public service” and described Arab Americans as “our neighbors, colleagues, health care professionals, scientists, educators, and public servants.”World news | The Guardian: “Hillary Scholten, a Democratic congresswoman representing west Michigan ... said Kennedy’s comments were “disgraceful and have no place in public service”. ... “Arab Americans are our neighbors, colleagues, health care professionals, scientists, educators, and public servants.””
- SupportedKennedy’s remarks were part of an attack on the Muslim Brotherhood, which he said had “created stagnant societies”.World news | The Guardian: “Kennedy’s comments came as part of an attack on the Muslim Brotherhood ... The rise of the group had “created stagnant societies”, Kennedy said”
- SupportedTrump called El-Sayed “a jihadist” at a rally on Sunday.World news | The Guardian: “the president himself, who at a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday called the Democrat “a jihadist” who was “on the side of the terrorists”.”
- Partly supportedVance said El-Sayed would lead rioters.World news | The Guardian: ““I guarantee you, if those rioters were burning down New York, or Detroit, the Hasan Pikers and El-Sayeds would be right there leading them and cheering them on,” Vance said”
- Partly supportedMurphy said coordinated attacks seek to “delegitimize Muslim Americans, not just as citizens but as humans.”World news | The Guardian: ““I really think everyone needs to pay attention to this coordinated campaign to delegitimize Muslim Americans, not just as citizens but as humans,” he said, reported by Reuters.”