U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared a candid reflection on his past during a recent appearance on Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, where he discussed his long-term commitment to recovery and attending meetings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kennedy, who has been open about his decades-long sobriety from alcohol and drug addiction, explained his resolve by saying: “I’m not scared of a germ. I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats. I know this disease will kill me if I don’t treat it — which for me means going to meetings every day.”
The episode, released around February 12, 2026, highlighted Kennedy’s ongoing daily recovery routine as essential to managing his addiction, which he prioritizes over external health risks.
As HHS Secretary, Kennedy leads the department overseeing major agencies like the CDC, FDA, NIH, and CMS, with a nearly $2 trillion budget. He was sworn in on February 13, 2025, following Senate confirmation.
His tenure has focused on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, aimed at addressing chronic disease epidemics, particularly in children, through reforms to food systems, scientific research, and public health policies. Key actions include restructuring HHS to emphasize disease prevention, launching initiatives like the Great American Recovery plan with a $100 million investment targeting homelessness, opioid addiction, and treatment expansion; announcing major awards to strengthen rural health infrastructure across all 50 states; and advancing transparency efforts in areas like food additives and health data interoperability.
Kennedy has also emphasized shifting toward “real food” dietary guidelines, restricting certain processed food elements, and investigating root causes of conditions like autism and chronic illnesses.
These efforts align with President Trump’s priorities, though they have sparked debate among experts and public health groups regarding impacts on trust in agencies and vaccine policies.
Readers can watch the whole episode here:
