Washington – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is attempting to shift his image away from his anti-vaccine advocacy as he aspires to lead the nation’s leading health agency under President Donald Trump, according to recently released government ethics documents.
In the past year, Kennedy has reportedly generated approximately $10 million in earnings, which includes revenue from speaking engagements, running an anti-vaccine nonprofit organization, and legal fees, as detailed in the ethics forms tied to his nomination. Furthermore, he possesses millions more in various investments and assets.
Should he receive confirmation for the role, Kennedy has committed to halting receipt of fees for some of his vaccine-related legal cases against the U.S. government. He is a lawyer known for engaging in litigation surrounding environmental matters and claims of vaccine injuries against prominent firms. Additionally, he has stated he will forgo compensation from lawsuits against the government under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation program.
A representative for Kennedy was unavailable for immediate comment regarding this filing.
As of December, Kennedy indicated in the documentation that he no longer serves as the chairman or chief legal counsel for Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit he established that has filed lawsuits against the federal government concerning vaccines, including the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children. He had received a salary of $326,000 for three months of service in 2023 at the nonprofit.
Nonetheless, he continues to reap financial benefits from past anti-vaccine efforts. Ongoing payments from successful legal referrals for cases not involving the U.S. government will still enrich him, which includes fees from a law firm pursuing a lawsuit against Merck related to its human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil, aimed at preventing cervical cancer. Last year, this arrangement provided him with over $850,000.
Kennedy will also continue to receive royalties from his published works, which have included misleading information around vaccine safety and other health topics. He anticipates earning a minimum of $2 million in advances for two upcoming books, although he claims he will refrain from marketing or engaging further with these works if he secures the role.
In spite of his outspoken criticism of the pharmaceutical sector, Kennedy’s portfolio includes investments in biotech companies that would fall under his regulatory jurisdiction if he becomes the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. He plans to divest approximately $50,000 from Dragonfly Therapeutics, which focuses on cancer therapies, along with a potential removal of up to $15,000 in investments in CRISPR Therapeutics, a gene-editing company.
A Senate finance committee hearing concerning Kennedy is scheduled for later this month. The attorney-turned-politician has been spotted around the capital recently, participating in events related to Trump’s inauguration. He even organized his own “Make America Healthy Again” ball on the day of Trump’s swearing-in, a phrase that has resonated with supporters of both Trump and Kennedy.
Additionally, Kennedy disclosed in his ethics report that he has profited about $100,000 from merchandise related to the MAHA slogan.
