RFK Jr. inadvertently makes astonishing admission about pro wrestling

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on Newsnation Tuesday to tout the return of the Presidential Fitness Test to public schools, but during the interview, made an off-handed comment that carried a startling suggestion.

“One of the criticisms of the Presidential Fitness Test back in the 2010s before it was nixed was that it wasn’t great for kids’ self-esteem, that it was hard for the kids who weren’t physically inclined,” said Newsnation’s Anna Kooiman.

“So what can we do to make sure that this Presidential Fitness Test, this version, makes everybody feel like it’s empowering them to get strong and get ahead?”

RFK Jr. told Kooiman that “failure is a part of life,” and to illustrate his point, made an eyebrow-raising comparison.

“The great thing about WWE that’s so inspiring is that all of these guys have failed – every one of them have lost fights,” RFK Jr. said, referencing World Wrestling Entertainment, the professional wrestling organization known for its over-the-top mock fights. “The trick is how do you persuade yourself to stand back up and fight again.”

WWE has effectively acknowledged its wrestling matches are scripted, with WWE officials referring to its matches as “sports entertainment” as opposed to “professional wrestling." And yet, RFK Jr.’s glowing reference to the organization appears to suggest, as noted by independent journalist Aaron Rupar, that he “seems to think professional wrestling is real.”

“That’s the beauty of WWE: you lose sometime but you win sometime,” RFK Jr. continued. “If you keep sticking at it, you’re going to ultimately come out on top.”