RFK Jr.'s campaign responds to New York Times brainworm report

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign is responding to a New York Times report that doctors found a dead worm in his brain years ago.

The Times reported Wednesday that doctors noticed a dark spot on Kennedy’s brain scans after he suffered memory loss in 2010 and concluded he had a brain tumor, according to a 2012 deposition. He received a call from another doctor who believed it was not a tumor but a dead parasite.

The doctor believed the anomaly was “caused by a worm that entered my brain, ate part of it and then died,” Kennedy said in the deposition, according to the New York Times.

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Kennedy told the Times that when he learned about the parasite, he was also diagnosed with mercury poisoning, likely due to eating too much fish containing the heavy metal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mercury poisoning can cause irritability, indecisiveness, headaches, weakness or fatigue, and weight loss, among other symptoms.

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In a statement to USA TODAY, Kennedy’s campaign appeared to acknowledge a previous problem with a parasite but said the problem had been resolved.

“Mr. Kennedy traveled extensively in Africa, South America and Asia as part of his work as an environmentalist and became infected with a parasite in one of these places,” his press team said in an email. “The problem was resolved more than 10 years ago and he is in robust physical and mental health.”

The press team added: “Given his competition, questioning Mr. Kennedy’s health is a hilarious suggestion.”

Kennedy, 70, is running as an independent in the 2024 presidential election and his name will appear on the ballot in Michigan, Utah, Hawaii and, his campaign says, Delaware and California. Voters in these states have the opportunity to vote for Kennedy, the Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump (77) and the Democratic candidate and current President Joe Biden (81).

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