Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once ate a dog, a photo suggests.
According to Vanity Fair, the presidential candidate sent a photograph of himself next to what appears to be the barbecued body of a dog to a friend and advised them to sample the animal while visiting Korea.
The photo was taken in 2010, according to the publication’s analysis of its metadata. Vanity Fair consulted a veterinarian who said the animal pictured was likely a dog because of its ribs.
However, Kennedy Jr. later told the Breaking Points podcast that the photo had been taken in the Patagonia region of South America, not Korea, and that the animal was a goat, not a dog.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears at Fox News studios on June 2, 2023, in New York City. A photo has appeared that suggests the presidential hopeful once ate a dog.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Newsweek contacted Kennedy Jr.’s team by email to comment on this story and will update it with any response.
The Context
Kennedy Jr. is the son of former Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy.
The 70-year-old attorney sought to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination but withdrew from the race and declared himself an independent candidate last October.
He has a strong anti-vaccine stance and reported support of conspiracy theories, such as the unsubstantiated beliefs that COVID-19 targets certain races, that the 2004 presidential election was stolen by voter fraud, and that there is a link between mass shootings and prescription drugs.
Some experts have said that his candidacy could harm Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, when voters head to the polls.
What We Know
The photo was reportedly taken in the same year that a dead tapeworm was discovered in Kennedy Jr.’s brain.
It features Kennedy Jr. appearing to take a mock bite from the skeleton alongside an unnamed woman whose image was concealed by Vanity Fair.
Views
Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, said on X, formerly Twitter, that the incident would make Kennedy Jr. be seen as a “villain.”
Here’s a photo of @RobertKennedyJr happily posing with a barbecued dog.
New reporting in @VanityFair reveals a friend has warned RFK Jr.’s campaign could cause him to “go down as one of the great villains in American history.”
I think that’s already happened… pic.twitter.com/iBMNVjuCwJ
— Matt Corridoni (@mattcorridoni) July 2, 2024
What’s Next?
While speaking with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, Kennedy Jr. was asked if he’d be open to speaking with Democrats if they contacted him about possibly replacing Biden following the president’s poorly received performance in his first debate with Trump.
“Of course I would talk to them. It would put me on the ballot with nobody trying to get me off,” Kennedy Jr. responded, adding that he believes the Democratic National Committee would otherwise try to get him removed from the ballot in states across the country.
Kennedy Jr. will face his political rivals, Trump and Biden, on November 5 when the presidential election takes place.
Update 7/2/24, 10:38 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.
Update 7/3/24, 06:22 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect Kennedy’s denial that he ate a dog.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.