U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke in an interview with the New York Post on June 22, 2023, and discussed a wide range of topics, including vaccines and bitcoin. Kennedy stated that if he becomes president, he will ensure that the U.S. maintains “policies that support bitcoin and the freedom to transact.”

RFK Jr. Blasts Mainstream Media Insisting He’s ‘Never Been Anti-Vaccine’

On Thursday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of former U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy, discussed a few specific topics with Lydia Moynihan of the New York Post. Kennedy has recently garnered attention following a challenge from podcaster Joe Rogan to Houston-based scientist Peter Hotez for a vaccine debate with Kennedy. The situation intensified when Elon Musk, owner of Twitter and Tesla executive, tweeted that Hotez is “afraid of a public debate, because he knows he’s wrong.”

In the interview with Moynihan, the Democratic presidential hopeful emphasized that he is not an “anti-vaxxer,” a term broadly used to describe individuals skeptical of vaccination, including the new Covid-19 vaccines. “I am not and have never been anti-vaccine,” Kennedy stressed on Thursday. “I’ve always said that I’m for safe vaccines and robust science and for regulatory agencies that are free from conflicts of interest and financial entanglements with the pharmaceutical industry.”

Kennedy added:

I urge people to listen to what I actually say instead of listening to the litany of derisive sound bites that the mainstream media offers to mischaracterize and distort my positions on the whole range of issues.

Kennedy Reasserts Promise to Protect Bitcoin While Stressing CBDCs Are ‘Instruments of Control and Oppression’

Kennedy also discussed bitcoin (BTC) during the Post interview, after expressing his belief last month that the cryptocurrency asset is an “exercise in democracy.” Following that statement, the U.S. presidential candidate made an announcement on May 19 that he would accept BTC for campaign donations.

“I will make sure that we have policies that support bitcoin and the freedom to transact and that allow individuals to manage their own bitcoin wallets, nodes, and passwords,” Kennedy told the Post on Thursday. “I will allow only the narrowest controls that are necessary to prevent money laundering. I oppose central bank digital currencies because they are instruments of control and oppression, and are certain to be abused.”

It is not the first instance where Kennedy has discussed central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), as he has previously expressed concerns that these financial instruments could result in “financial slavery” and “political tyranny.”

In late May, Kennedy strongly criticized the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its recent crackdown on the crypto industry and advocated for SEC commissioners who are supportive of crypto. “What they’re doing is obscure, it’s not transparent, and it’s not bringing transparency to our system,” Kennedy said at the time.

Incumbent president Joe Biden may face a challenge, as a poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov pitted him against Kennedy and other 2024 presidential candidates, with Kennedy emerging as the frontrunner. However, the mainstream media swiftly shifted the focus by highlighting a Quinnipiac University poll that showed Biden’s favorability surpassing Kennedy’s. The Washington Post noted that favorability is a “tricky metric” in an article published the same week.

What are your thoughts on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on bitcoin and his presidential bid? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.