NYT's fact-check of RFK Jr.'s claims about popular breakfast cereal stuns social media

The New York Times offered a baffling fact-check of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s assertion that a fashionable meal cereal successful the United States contains respective artificial ingredients.

The erstwhile Democratic-turned-Independent statesmanlike campaigner endorsed President-elect Donald Trump aft suspending his 2024 run successful August. On Thursday, Trump announced helium had nominated Kennedy to caput the Department of Health and Human Services successful his incoming administration.

Kennedy has pledged to tackle chronic wellness issues facing Americans and instrumentality connected "corruption" wrong the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) successful bid to "Make America Healthy Again." 

In an interrogation connected MSNBC aft Trump's triumph earlier this month, Kennedy suggested the 2nd Trump medication could destruct full departments wrong the FDA: "In immoderate categories, their full departments, similar the nutrition section successful the FDA, they person to go. They’re not doing their job. They’re not protecting our kids. Why bash we person Froot Loops successful this state that person 18 oregon 19 ingredients, and you spell to Canada, and it’s got 2 oregon three?"

President-elect Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to caput HHS. (Getty Images)

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The New York Times published a study connected Friday analyzing Kennedy's views connected artificial nutrient ingredients that specifically fact-checked the Trump nominee for his claims astir Froot Loops utilizing antithetic ingredients successful their U.S. merchandise versus Canadian product.

"Mr. Kennedy has singled retired Froot Loops arsenic an illustration of a merchandise with excessively galore artificial ingredients, questioning wherefore the Canadian mentation has less than the U.S. version," the Times' study read. "But helium was wrong. The constituent database is astir the same, though Canada’s has earthy colorings made from blueberries and carrots portion the U.S. merchandise contains reddish dye 40, yellowish 5 and bluish 1 arsenic good arsenic Butylated hydroxytoluene, oregon BHT, a lab-made chemic that is utilized 'for freshness,' according to the constituent label."

The unusual fact-check, which seemed to beryllium alternatively than disprove Kennedy's constituent astir artificial ingredients being included successful the U.S. mentation of the cereal, drew critics to mock the paper.

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump shakes hands with Independent statesmanlike campaigner Robert F. Kennedy Jr. astatine a run rally astatine the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, successful Glendale, Ariz.  ((AP Photo/Evan Vucci))

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"Spitting retired my java aft speechmaking this NYT ‘fact check’ of RFK Jr.," X idiosyncratic Brad Cohn wrote successful a station that drew implicit 4 cardinal views connected the societal media platform. 

He added successful mockery, "'As you see, the constituent database is conscionable wholly identical, but the US merchandise contains formaldehyde, cyanide, and astir undetectable levels of saxitoxin.'"

"Read this ‘fact check’ connected @RobertFKennedyJr from the NYT and archer maine with a consecutive look we don't request a extremist translation of our media and wellness agencies," Jason Howerton, CEO of REACH digital, posted to X.

"This is what passes for a 'fact check' astatine The New York Times," Turning Points USA laminitis Charlie Kirk wrote connected X. "The media prevarication a lot, but fortunately for us, they are besides VERY stupid."

"This has got to beryllium the dumbest 'Fact Check' connected RFK Jr. from the New York Times... who approved this?" podcaster Jay Anderson posted to X.

Independent statesmanlike campaigner Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waves to the assemblage astatine a run rally for Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, successful Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The New York Times did not instantly instrumentality a petition for comment.

Kennedy's information spurred a question of media reports with warnings from Democrats and aesculapian professionals that Kennedy is a menace to nationalist health and volition "cost lives" due to the fact that of his skepticism of vaccines.

Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.