Podcast Summary: "RFK Jr. Can't Handle the Truth"

Next Comes What with Andrea Pitzer
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Andrea Pitzer

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, Andrea Pitzer examines the attacks on science and medicine under a second Trump administration, focusing particularly on the role of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The discussion explores historical and current parallels in the undermining of scientific authority, the politicization of public health, and the consequences of anti-expertise sentiment. Pitzer also outlines practical steps listeners can take to resist these trends and protect science in their communities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Undermining of Scientific Institutions

• RFK Jr. as a Disruptor in Health Policy

  • Andrea paints RFK Jr. as a “wrecking ball” (00:17) for public health, likening the current situation to a "slasher film" where the villain operates in broad daylight (00:39).
  • His appointment is described as being based on political loyalty and celebrity status rather than scientific competence.

• Politicized Attacks on Research and Equity

  • Under the new administration, projects at NIH connected to diversity, equity, or gender identity are defunded, affecting crucial research on maternal health, cervical cancer, HIV prevention, and more (01:43–01:55).
  • "This goes way beyond DEI. This affects everyone and a lot more" (B, 01:52).

• Vaccine Misinformation and Restriction

  • RFK Jr. promotes misinformation about vaccine schedules and risks, suggesting COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe and proposing to restrict access (02:17–02:25).
  • The administration contemplates limiting COVID vaccine eligibility to those above 75 years old (02:25).
  • Pitzer notes the regularity of "untrue things about vaccine schedules and risks for children and adults alike" (A, 02:34).

The Strategy Behind the Assault on Science

• Trump’s Broader Objective

  • The goal is not just policy change but to redirect money and authority to loyalists within the administration, removing the neutral processes underpinning scientific research (04:25).
  • Pitzer explains: "Any kind of neutral process is anathema to the Trump administration" (A, 05:13).

• Historic Parallels & the Dangers of Politicization

  • Einstein in Nazi Germany: Scientific breakthroughs are dismissed as “Jewish physics,” with the regime turning public sentiment against scientific authority (A, 10:13–10:37).
  • Soviet scientist Trofim Lysenko: Pushed unscientific ideas under Stalin, resulting in devastating consequences for Soviet agriculture and scientific integrity (A & B, 12:10–13:35).

The Current Moment: Disinformation and Democracy

• Attack on Objective Truth

  • Trump’s method is to destroy any sense of objective reality, especially scientific authority: "The truth for Trump should only be whatever Trump says it is" (A, 09:22).
  • RFK Jr. is compared to both Lysenko and Stalin in his capacity to "overturn medical research and medical practice" (A, 15:33).

• Vulnerability of Democratic Systems

  • Existing systems can be “dismantled by just a few bad actors in key positions” (A, 03:59).
  • The episode draws connections between anti-expert populist traditions in America and the current surge in scams, misinformation, and policy targeting scientific infrastructure (A, 06:08–07:07).

The Human Cost & Political Failure

• Public Health Consequences

  • Pitzer enumerates setbacks in cancer research, vaccine access, and overall health outcomes due to policy changes (A, 18:08).
  • She ties the Biden administration’s reluctance to directly confront the damage of the previous administration as exacerbating the crisis (A, 20:18–21:38).

• Normalization of Autocracy

  • Critique of efforts to treat the Trump regime as "politics as usual," dismissing warnings about democratic backsliding (A & B, 21:38–22:08).
  • She encourages focusing on solutions, not just rhetoric: "Those who oppose the current regime need to offer concrete policies bundled under an overarching vision..." (A, 22:13).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• RFK Jr. as a Chaotic Force:
  • “Watching the wrecking ball that is RFK Jr.… is like watching a slasher film in which the killer just wanders the streets in daylight.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (00:17, 00:39)
• Scientific Disinformation:
  • “He is reported to be planning to use a group of children who died to suggest that the COVID vaccines, mRNA vaccines in general, are unsafe.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (02:17)
• Political Motives Behind Kennedy’s Appointment:
  • “Almost all of these pro-Kennedy donations are coming from people who’ve long supported Donald Trump. What’s going on? Part of it is sheer grift…”
    — Andrea Pitzer (04:25)
• Attack on Objective Reality:
  • “The truth for Trump should only be whatever Trump says it is.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (09:22)
• Dangerous Parallels:
  • “History offers many instances in which scientists who had become public figures were targeted in similar ways to the destruction of science in America today… Albert Einstein was a key target for their culture war agenda.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (10:00–10:13)
• On American Anti-Expert Tradition:
  • “Even before Trump’s arrival on the scene, the US has a long history of anti-expert, know-nothing movements… because those without a good education and honestly, many people with a good education remain vulnerable to swindlers.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (06:08)
• Undermining Cancer Research:
  • “Future-oriented cancer research is being destroyed… Current standards of care are being decimated in ways that will lead to many deaths. That system is being dismantled before our eyes.”
    — Andrea Pitzer (18:08)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00–00:39: Introduction, RFK Jr.’s appointment, and the threat to public health.
• 01:19–01:55: Disappearance of NIH funding for research tied to DEI and broader consequences.
• 02:02–02:34: RFK Jr.’s vaccine misinformation and policy proposals.
• 03:45–04:25: Political self-interest and the undermining of scientific processes.
• 06:08–07:07: American tradition of anti-expertise and susceptibility to scams.
• 10:13–10:37: Einstein’s persecution in Nazi Germany as a parallel to attacks on scientists today.
• 12:10–13:35: The Lysenko affair in the Soviet Union and consequences of politicized science.
• 15:33–16:30: RFK Jr. as both disruptor and enabler of anti-science policy.
• 18:08–20:06: Destruction of cancer research and loss of progress in public health.
• 22:13–23:09: Pushback against “normalization,” the need for concrete policy solutions.

Concrete Actions for Listeners (23:55–End)

• On-the-Ground Triage:
  • Learn about COVID vaccine eligibility changes in your state; assist others in navigating new barriers to access.
• Support for Science:
  • Invite scientists and healthcare workers to speak about vaccines and research at schools/community centers.
  • Set up or promote local screening and informational sessions.
• Policy Advocacy:
  • Advocate for the independence of research at state universities and public schools.
  • Help bridge insurance and healthcare gaps for those affected by policy changes; support efforts to erase medical debt.
• Community Building:
  • Unite around healthcare as a fundamental, bipartisan issue.
  • Share information and support factual, science-based policymaking.

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is urgent, sobering, and impassioned. Pitzer uses historical parallels, direct language, and a “call to action” tone. She is clear-eyed about the dangers but focused on tangible actions ordinary people can take to resist.