Kennedy Granddaughter's Terminal Cancer Diagnosis Highlights Rift with RFK Jr.'s Health Policies

Tatiana Schlossberg, the 35-year-old granddaughter of former President John F. Kennedy, has revealed a terminal diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia in a poignant essay published in The New Yorker on November 22, 2025. Her powerful account details her 18-month battle with the aggressive blood cancer, diagnosed shortly after the birth of her second child in May 2024, and includes a stark critique of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s, health policies. Schlossberg, a climate journalist, stated she has been given less than a year to live.

Schlossberg's essay, titled "A Battle With My Blood," directly addresses her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was recently confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services under Donald Trump. She described her cousin as "mostly an embarrassment to me and the rest of my immediate family," expressing profound alarm at his anti-vaccine stance and his administration's cuts to crucial medical research funding. She watched from her hospital bed as he was confirmed, despite her view that he lacked experience in medicine or public health.

The essay highlights the personal impact of these policy shifts, with Schlossberg, an immunocompromised patient, fearing the implications of reduced funding for mRNA vaccine research and the National Institutes of Health. She also noted her mother, Caroline Kennedy, wrote to the Senate to oppose RFK Jr.'s confirmation, while her brother, Jack Schlossberg, has publicly challenged his claims. This public family division underscores the deep ideological chasm regarding public health and scientific integrity.

The tweet from Katie Robertson, which prompted this article, juxtaposed Schlossberg's "heart-wrenching essay" with what she termed the "Nuzzi/Lizza/Bobby Kennedy circus." This likely refers to the ongoing media scrutiny and political commentary surrounding RFK Jr.'s controversial public statements and his role in the Trump administration, often involving figures like Olivia Nuzzi and Ryan Lizza who cover political affairs. Schlossberg's essay serves as a powerful counter-narrative, grounding the political discourse in the lived reality of a patient directly affected by health policy.