Chris Pratt said he hopes his cousin-in-law Robert F. Kennedy Jr. succeeds in certain health initiatives, praising him as “wonderful” while stressing that they avoid political debates at family gatherings. The remarks came during an August 18 appearance on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, where Pratt added that he would “hate to be so mired in hatred for the president” that he could not acknowledge wins, citing efforts to remove “toxic stuff” from children’s food.
Kennedy, who was sworn in as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary in February, is leading the administration’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, which includes a White House commission announced the day he took office. The initiative has spotlighted food safety and other child health priorities, even as critics assail separate moves across the health portfolio.
Pratt emphasized he does not discuss policy details with Kennedy and said he sometimes struggles to parse competing claims about the secretary’s record, noting “I don’t know what to believe.” He framed his support around discrete areas where he sees bipartisan agreement, repeating that personal interactions with Kennedy are cordial and family-focused.
Reaction online was swift, with posts amplifying Pratt’s comments and sparking debate about celebrity interventions in political discourse. The exchange also revived attention on Kennedy’s tenure, which has drawn legal challenges over research funding changes and LGBTQ-focused programs, even as the department promotes MAHA-branded nutrition and fitness efforts.
Pratt’s comments add a high-profile Hollywood voice to public discussion of Kennedy’s agenda. Coverage of the interview highlighted his call for a less reflexive approach to partisanship and his view that specific health measures aimed at children should be judged on their merits.
