New York Times Fact-Checks Itself Into a Corner on RFK Jr.

The New York Times is facing widespread ridicule after a fact-check on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s remarks about chemicals in processed foods appeared to undermine its own rebuttal. The incident has only amplified criticism of the mainstream media’s credibility as Kennedy continues to advocate for transparency in food safety as the incoming head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The NYT article, titled “Kennedy’s Vow to Take On Big Food Could Alienate His New G.O.P. Allies,” centered on Kennedy’s long-standing criticism of processed foods and harmful additives. Kennedy, who recently endorsed Donald Trump after dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, is spearheading the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda.

In an MSNBC interview, Kennedy posed a straightforward question: “Why do we have Froot Loops in this country that have 18 or 19 ingredients and you go to Canada and it has two or three?”

The NYT attempted to fact-check Kennedy, claiming he was “wrong on the ingredient count” and asserting that Froot Loops in the U.S. and Canada are “roughly the same.” However, their own report noted glaring differences: the Canadian version uses natural colorings like blueberry and carrot extracts, while the American version relies on synthetic additives such as Red Dye 40, Yellow 5, and BHT a chemical preservative linked to health concerns.

The Internet Reacts

Social media users were quick to pounce on the contradiction.

• “Spitting out my coffee after reading this NYT ‘fact check’ of RFK Jr.,” one commenter quipped.

• “The NY Times is trying to be funny, right?” another wrote.

• The popular account Libs of TikTok shared the paragraph, adding: “I cannot believe this is a real paragraph in The New York Times. You literally can’t make this up.”

Rather than disproving Kennedy’s claims, the NYT appeared to highlight exactly the kind of ingredient disparity he was referencing, inadvertently bolstering his argument about the prevalence of questionable additives in American food.

Trump and RFK Jr.: A Health Alliance

The fact-check debacle comes as President-elect Donald Trump reiterates his commitment to protecting public health through HHS reforms. In a recent post, Trump addressed the urgency of tackling America’s “industrial food complex.”

“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump said. “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration.”

He emphasized Kennedy’s role in restoring trust and scientific rigor at HHS, promising to eliminate harmful chemicals, pollutants, and additives that have contributed to the chronic disease epidemic. “Kennedy will restore these agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research to Make America Great and Healthy Again,” Trump concluded.

A Shift in Priorities

Kennedy’s appointment and Trump’s MAHA initiative signal a seismic shift in how the federal government approaches public health. Their shared commitment to transparency and accountability in food and drug safety presents a direct challenge to Big Food and Big Pharma, industries that have long benefited from regulatory capture and weak oversight.

As RFK Jr. assumes his role, Americans are likely to see increased scrutiny of the very issues the New York Times inadvertently spotlighted in its fact-check: the dubious ingredients and additives that have become alarmingly commonplace in the nation’s food supply.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.