On Mother’s Day, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared photos of himself swimming alongside his grandchildren in Washington, D.C.’s Rock Creek, a waterway long known to be contaminated with high levels of bacteria.
Newsweek reached out to HHS, the NPS, Washington, D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment, and the Rock Creek Conservancy for comment via email Monday afternoon.
Why It Matters
The National Park Service (NPS) explicitly prohibits swimming and wading in Rock Creek, citing health risks from elevated E. coli and other pathogens. Kennedy has drawn attention for his unconventional approaches to health and wellness, during his presidential campaign and in the months after joining the Trump administration.
What To Know
President Donald Trump’s HHS Secretary shared photos on his X account, showing himself and members of his family in the creek that runs into the Potomac River.
“Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park with Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, and Jackson, and a swim with my grandchildren, Bobcat and Cassius in Rock Creek,” he wrote in the post…