LinkedIn Founder: ‘Anti-Science’ RFK Jr.’s Confirmation ‘Will Be Measured in Thousands of American Lives Lost’
LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman warned that the tenure of President Donald Trump’s “anti-science” health secretary pick Robert F Kennedy Jr. would “be measured in thousands of American lives” should he be confirmed.
Kennedy, a contentious figure known for his vocal criticism of public health and vaccine skepticism, will learn on Tuesday whether he has passed the first hurdle in his bid to become the nation’s top health official as the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote on his nomination.
The former Democrat faced two gruelling confirmation hearings last week in which senators grilled him on his views and previous claims.
Hoffman, appearing on the Pivot podcast, said the following to hosts Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway:
I think the unfortunate prediction for RFK’s probable confirmation is that it will probably be measured in thousands of American lives lost. I think that the question around… the fact that he’s saying: ‘Well, I’m just following science…’ No he’s not. Right? Not only is he anti-vaccine in many, many statement over decades but he is essentially anti-science. I have heard of meetings where he has been meeting with scientists where the scientists try to tell him ‘no, you’re supposed to listen to me’ and it’s like… No, the point is to listen to good scientists. If this confirmation goes through I think the senators who vote on it should track how many of thousands of American lives their willing to spend in this calculus. Because if he implements any of the things he has articulated and talked about, I thin the cost is going to be measured in lives.
“Have you been surprised by how many tech people have been attracted to him?” Swisher asked. “Even as they make these big investments in AI and cancer where he will have an impact.” Hoffman replied:
Strengths and weaknesses tend to go together and a lot of the tech people go, ‘i’ve met him and it was a perfectly reasonable conversation and so therefore that’s just all media stuff.’ Media stuff that he said! That he did! In other rooms that you weren’t in!
One of the things that’s very important is to have a little bit off… Look, just how a person talks to you is not necessarily how they impact and talk in the world and you have to apply that. I’ve had a number of tech people try to say ‘oh, RFK is great!’ I’m like… [laughs]
In a hiring context, I prefer references to interviewing. I prefer to have both but reference checking is much better. I’ve seen the references on RFK, that’s part of the reason that this appointment will be measured in thousands of American lives lost.
Listen via Apple Podcasts here.
