by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is standing by his criticism of political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood, rejecting accusations of racism and Islamophobia while continuing to defend Israel against allegations of genocide.
In a lengthy statement posted on X, Kennedy challenged media coverage of remarks he delivered at a Michigan campaign event supporting Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. He argued that reporters had stripped his comments of their broader context.
“My speech was not a critique of Arabs or Islam, but of Islamism (also known as ‘Islamofascism’ or ‘Political Islam’), a toxic ideology conceived and promoted by the terrorist group, the Muslim Brotherhood,” Kennedy wrote.
The statement followed criticism of Kennedy’s assertions that Arab nations had failed to produce significant scientific and literary achievements. Critics pointed to numerous Arab Nobel laureates, scientists and writers whose accomplishments contradicted his sweeping remarks. Kennedy maintained that his intended target was Islamist ideology rather than Arab people.
Kennedy’s Defense of Israel
The controversy comes weeks after Kennedy publicly rejected allegations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
In an October 7 social media post, Kennedy accused a Qatar-funded Muslim Brotherhood propaganda campaign of spreading anti-Israel narratives and encouraging antisemitism.
“The Genocide charge against Israel is laughable on its face,” Kennedy wrote, arguing that such accusations provide justification for growing hostility toward Jewish communities.
Although Kennedy subsequently deleted that statement without publicly explaining why, he has not issued a public retraction of its claims.
Kennedy had previously defended Israel during a July interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, arguing that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians was inconsistent with accusations of genocidal intent.
He also drew attention to the historical decline of Jewish and Christian communities across parts of the Middle East, contending that their displacement deserves greater international scrutiny.
The latest controversy highlights the increasingly contentious debate over Israel, Islamist political movements and antisemitism in American public life.
Kennedy concluded his latest response by challenging journalists to reconsider their reporting.
“Let’s see which reporters take the time to read this post and then correct their stories,” he wrote.
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