A photo of RFK Jr. and AOC appearing to have an intense exchange is making rounds on the internet. Based on the body language in the photo, netizens speculate whether the two were arguing.
RFK Jr. and AOC go viral after intense exchange
A photo capturing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared to be engaged in a supposed heated argument with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has gone viral on social media. The snapshot is taken from a recent congressional hearing where the Health and Human Services Secretary faced intense questioning on various pressing matters related to the department.
During RFK Jr.’s testimony before the House Committee of Energy and Commerce, Ocasio-Cortez was among the first to address Kennedy. The congresswoman pressed him about the government’s decision to send additional funding to health insurance companies.
“The industry is saying that they’re increasing these costs, but the industry is defrauding the public,” the congresswoman stated. “So we know they’re lying. We know they’re lying through even their mechanisms. They are upcoding. They are telling us, the public, the government, Medicare, our systems, that people are sicker than they are so that they can get more money,” she added (via USA Today).
“And if I’m hearing you correctly, we are giving them more money because they’re saying that they need it?” Ocasio-Cortez asked. In response, Kennedy agreed, “Yeah, they’re lying,” before adding, “But my job as HHS Secretary, I have to balance the impact on patients if there are no options in those areas. So we do- We have to do a lot to verify- We don’t trust. We do a lot to verify” (via Irish Star).
Despite the exchange seeming amicable, a photo taken by Liz Essley Whyte of The Wall Street Journal from later in the hearing shows the two appearing to have an argument. The photo has since fuelled speculation online that Kennedy and Ocasio-Cortez may have had a disagreement.
However, when asked by an X user if they were arguing, the WSJ reporter confirmed that the conversation “appeared friendly.” It remains unclear what they were talking about.
Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh on Mandatory.
