Short Summary: Claims that RFK Jr. testified he couldn’t hold a job because of brain damage derive from a 2024 New York Times article that cited a 2012 deposition. The Times reported Kennedy said a parasitic worm had damaged part of his brain and that his cognitive struggles reduced his earning power, but the deposition itself has not been produced to independent fact-checkers. A related 2011 affidavit was found, but it does not mention brain damage; the stronger social-media claim remains unverified pending primary documentation.
RFK Jr. and the 'Brain-Worm' Claim: What the Record Actually Shows
Will McNamee, accessed via Getty Images
A circulating claim that U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. once testified he could not hold a job because of brain damage remains unverified. The allegation traces to a 2024 New York Times article that cited a 2012 deposition in divorce proceedings; fact-checkers have not been able to locate that deposition and therefore have left the stronger social-media version of the claim unrated.
What The New York Times Reported
The Times reported in May 2024 that, during a 2012 deposition in divorce proceedings, Kennedy said a parasitic worm "got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died" and that his cognitive struggles had reduced his earning power. The Times summarized that Kennedy argued his cognitive issues diminished his ability to make a living, but the newspaper did not quote him as saying he could not hold any job at all.
"Some of Mr. Kennedy's health issues were revealed in the 2012 deposition, which he gave during divorce proceedings from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. At the time, Mr. Kennedy was arguing that his earning power had been diminished by his cognitive struggles." — The New York Times (May 2024)
What Fact-Checkers Found
- Investigators located a 2011 affidavit published by Newsweek that is tied to the same divorce proceedings; that affidavit details allegations of abuse and other disputes but does not mention brain damage or impaired earning power.
- Fact-checkers were not able to find the 2012 deposition the Times cited. Without that primary document, independent verification of an explicit statement that Kennedy "couldn't work" is not possible.
- During his 2024 presidential campaign, Kennedy posted on X referring to a dead worm having been found in his brain and later joked about it in the context of a hypothetical debate. Campaign spokespeople reportedly said doctors had found a dead worm and that Kennedy had recovered.
Social-Media Claims Versus Available Evidence
In late summer 2026, posts on platforms such as Threads, Facebook and X amplified a sharper claim: that Kennedy had testified he was "too brain damaged to work so therefore couldn't pay alimony." That specific wording has not been substantiated by primary-source court documents obtained by fact-checkers. The distinction matters: the Times described diminished earning power, not a verbatim claim that Kennedy was entirely unable to hold a job.
Current Status
Because the deposition cited by The New York Times has not been produced to independent fact-checkers, the stronger social-media assertion remains unverified and has been left unrated by outlets following primary-source standards. Reporters and fact-checkers say they have asked The New York Times to direct them to the deposition and have contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for comment; updates will follow if additional documentation or responses become available.
Selected Sources
- Craig, Susanne. "R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain." The New York Times, May 2024.
- Newsweek. Excerpts from a 2011 affidavit published during the divorce proceedings.
- Snopes and other fact-checking outlets that reviewed public records and requested the deposition.
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