"Trump Worse Than Hitler"... Kennedy Embarrassed by Statement Made 8 Years Ago

Kennedy "Not Now, Regrets Saying It"

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was appointed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in President-elect Donald Trump's second administration, but reports have emerged that eight years ago, he harshly criticized Trump by comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

On the 22nd, Yonhap News cited the U.S. CNN broadcast, which analyzed Kennedy Jr.'s 2016 radio remarks. The results showed that he had consistently and sharply criticized Trump for a long time.

Robert Kennedy Jr., nominee for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (right). Photo by AP Yonhap News

Earlier, in December 2016, Kennedy Jr. appeared on a radio program and criticized then President-elect Trump's strategy. He stated that historically, demagogues who gained power by exploiting fear and prejudice during times of severe social and economic instability, such as the Great Depression, were similar to Trump.

He mentioned dictators such as Germany's Hitler, Italy's Mussolini, and Spain's Franco as similar examples. At the time, Kennedy Jr. said, "All of Trump's statements are based on fear," and criticized, "He is encouraging us to be afraid of Muslims, Black people, especially the 'Black Obama.'"

The criticism continued afterward. In March 2016, on a radio broadcast, he praised journalist Matt Taibbi's article criticizing Trump and his supporters, quoting the phrase, "There are not many overt Nazis in America, but there are many cowards and sycophants."

He then criticized Trump more harshly than Hitler. He said, "Hitler had plans and was interested in policy," adding, "Trump has none of that. He is not sane." He also criticized Trump's environmental policies as pro-business, pointing out, "Trump's prosperity is a prosperity based on pollution."

President-elect of the United States Donald Trump (right) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Photo by AP Yonhap News

CNN highlighted that Kennedy Jr., who has consistently criticized Trump’s pro-business deregulation, will be in charge of a $1.7 trillion budget as Secretary of Health and Human Services. It also mentioned that he will have supervisory authority over the food and public health sectors.

Meanwhile, Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services is interpreted as a reward for his support. He left the Democratic Party last October to run independently in the presidential election but dropped out of the race in August this year and endorsed Trump.

However, some point out that Kennedy Jr. has long advocated "vaccine conspiracy theories." He has repeatedly claimed that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may not be caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and has also revived an old conspiracy theory that chemicals in water are changing children's gender identities. There are also opinions that he should not be appointed because his positions on major policies such as abortion differ from those of the Republican Party.

Kennedy Jr. explained to CNN, "Like many Americans, I believed the distorted portrayal of President Trump by the mainstream media," adding, "I no longer hold the same beliefs and regret the things I said in the past."