White House fires back after JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg calls RFK Jr 'rabid dog'

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House has dismissed the comments made by John F Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, after he called his cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a "rabid dog."

Schlossberg made the remarks while announcing his own political bid for a US House seat in New York for the 2026 election, aiming to replace Democratic Rep Jerry Nadler.

Karoline Leavitt slams Jack Schlossberg's comments, praises RFK Jr

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt promptly dismissed the severity of Jack Schlossberg's statement, telling reporters, "I don't even think such ridiculous comments are worth responding to."

Leavitt defended Secretary Kennedy's performance, adding, "Obviously, those things are not true. And Secretary Kennedy is doing a phenomenal job bringing transparency and the gold standard of silent science back to our health care system." 

The exchange comes as Schlossberg, the son of diplomat Caroline Kennedy, launched his campaign, positioning himself against his cousin.

Jack Schlossberg says Donald Trump's ‘obsession’ led to RFK Jr's role

Appearing on MSNBC, Jack Schlossberg did not mince words about his cousin's relationship with the Trump administration. 

He said that President Donald Trump's "obsession" with the Kennedy family led to RFK Jr's cabinet position. 

Schlossberg compared Kennedy to a subordinate pet, claiming, "He put a collar on my cousin, RFK Jr, and has him there barking, spreading lies and spreading misinformation."

Jack Schlossberg criticizes RFK Jr's HHS tenure

Schlossberg went further, launching direct attacks on his cousin's policy decisions and leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

He directly criticized Kennedy’s decision to fire advisors on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine panel in June and linked this action to an increase in measles cases, such as a recent outbreak in West Texas that concluded in August. 

Stating his overall concern, Schlossberg said, "RFK Jr is a dangerous person who is making life-and-death decisions as Secretary of Health and Human Services." 

He also took a personal jab at Kennedy's professional activities, quipping, "I mean, when he’s not making infomercials for Steak ‘n Shake and Coca-Cola, he’s spreading misinformation and lies that are leading to deaths around the country." 

The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately issue a comment regarding the statements made by Schlossberg. It is to be noted that Schlossberg is a 32-year-old Harvard Law School graduate and is a political correspondent for Vogue.