Caroline Kennedy Breaks Her Silence on Cousin RFK Jr., Blasting Him as 'Predator' Just Before His Confirmation Hearings

Caroline Kennedy is speaking out against her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of his confirmation hearings to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

In a scathing letter to senators on Tuesday, Jan. 28, the daughter of John F. Kennedy, 67, called her cousin Bobby a “predator,” asserting that he is “addicted to attention and power” and ultimately “unqualified” to shape the nation's health policy.

Related: A Timeline of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Controversies

Prior to the letter, Caroline was less outspoken about her cousin than some relatives, even as Bobby's siblings publicly denounced him for promoting conspiracy theories and siding with Donald Trump.

“I did not comment, not only because I was serving in a government position as United States Ambassador to Australia, but because I have never wanted to speak publicly about my family members and their challenges,” said Caroline, who resigned as ambassador in November.

“But now that Bobby has been nominated by President Trump to be Secretary of Health and Human Services — a position that would put him in charge of the health of the American people — I feel an obligation to speak out.”

Related: RFK Jr.'s Presidential Campaign Slammed as 'Dangerous to Our Country' in Scathing Statement from 4 of His Siblings

Jack Schlossberg, Caroline's son, shared a video on social media of his mother reading her letter aloud, calling her "courageous" for speaking out against her own cousin.

The letter began by addressing what Caroline views as a lack of “government, financial, management or medical experience” on Bobby's résumé, which she said “alone should be disqualifying” for a powerful administrative role.

“But he has personal qualities related to this job, which, for me, pose even greater concern,” she continued of Bobby, 71.

Related: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says ‘We’ll See What Happens’ When Asked if More Women Will Accuse Him of Sexual Assault

Caroline — who said she has known Bobby her entire life — detailed his history of drug addiction, claiming his basement, garage and dorm rooms were “always the center of the action where drugs were available” and adding that he was “able to attract others through the strength of his personality.”

“He enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hawks,” Caroline alleged. “It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence.”

Related: RFK Jr.’s Daughter Said He Once Beheaded a Whale with a Chainsaw. A Ben Affleck Dating Rumor Unearthed the Story

Caroline went on to criticize her cousin’s vocal conspiratorial crusade against vaccinations, saying that Bobby “preys on the desperation of parents of sick children” by advocating against scientifically sound vaccines while vaccinating his own kids.

“Even before he fills this job, his constant denigration of our health care system and the conspiratorial half-truths he’s told about vaccines — including in connection with Samoa’s deadly 2019 outbreak of measles — have cost lives,” she said.

Related: Kerry Kennedy Tears into Brother RFK Jr.’s ‘Deplorable’ Remarks About COVID-19 Sparing Jews and Chinese People

Caroline also added that his anti-vaccination efforts demonstrate that he “is willing to profit and enrich himself” — evidently referencing a New York Times report which found that Bobby would keep his financial stake in litigation against Merck, a manufacturer of a vaccine that protects against HPV, even as he ascends to the presidential Cabinet as health secretary.

She concluded her letter by condemning Bobby for invoking the legacy of the Kennedy name throughout his presidential campaign last year, claiming that he “continues to grandstand off my father’s assassination and that of his own father.”

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“It’s incomprehensible to me that someone who is willing to exploit his own painful family tragedies for publicity would be put in charge of America’s life and death situations,” she said.

“Unlike Bobby, I try not to speak for my father, but I am certain that he and my uncle Bobby, who gave their lives in public service to this country, and my uncle Teddy, who devoted his long Senate career to the cause of improving health care, would be disgusted.”

PEOPLE has attempted to reach Bobby for comment.

Bobby is one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks, given his history of peddling conspiracy theories and hard-to-characterize political views.

Related: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says Donald Trump Will 'Remove Fluoride' from Public Drinking Water if Elected

The Democrat-turned-independent will face questions from the Senate Committee on Finance during his first confirmation hearing on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 29.

He will then go before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Thursday, Jan. 30, for additional questioning.

Related: Senate Votes on Trump's Cabinet Nominees: Tracking Everyone Who Has Been Confirmed So Far

In order to be confirmed as the secretary of health and human services, Bobby needs to ultimately earn the support of more than half the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans in a 53-47 split.

If the Senate is evenly divided on whether to approve his nomination, Vice President J.D. Vance can cast a tie-breaking vote to ensure that he is confirmed.

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