Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , the Health and Human Services Secretary, has defended his comments on Islam in a lengthy essay posted on social media. The essay was a response to criticism from media outlets and the campaign of Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed, after Kennedy spoke in Michigan on behalf of Republican challenger Mike Rogers.
Kennedy had criticized el Sayed for not condemning the Muslim Brotherhood, which he described as a corrupting influence that has led to "stagnant societies" and a decline in scientific achievements and literary output in Arab Muslim countries. He argued that criticizing Islamism is not Islamophobic or racist, but rather a necessary response to a violent and corrupting ideology.
Kennedy also outlined the historical development of Islamism through the Muslim Brotherhood and criticized el Sayed for not condemning the organization. Ilya Shapiro, director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, described the post as "very impressive" and suggested that Kennedy could be moved to a role such as special envoy to combat Islamism.