RFK Jr. says Arabs "don't produce science" at Michigan Republican rally
At a Republican rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Arabs don't produce science, literature or win major prizes. Newsweek notes Nobel records contradict this, and Al Jazeera reports wide condemnation.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at a Republican campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday 26 October that Arabs do not produce science, win the Nobel Prize or produce literature. NewsweekN “saying that “500 million Arabs” do not “produce science.”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Al JazeeraLC “has said that Arabs don’t produce science, literature, or win Nobel prizes.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Centre · 1According to Newsweek, Kennedy made the remarks while discussing the Muslim Brotherhood, after referring to Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who has raised the group in his race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. NewsweekN “Kennedy made the remarks while discussing the Muslim Brotherhood after referencing Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Kennedy said that talking about the Muslim Brotherhood "is not Islamophobia" and described people under its influence as in a "death cult". He then said: "There’s 500 million Arabs in the world. And yet they don’t produce science. They don’t win the Nobel Prize. They don’t win the Fields Prize. They don’t win the Wolf Prize. They don’t produce literature." NewsweekN “There’s 500 million Arabs in the world. And yet they don’t produce science.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek said Nobel Prize records contradict the claim, citing Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail (Chemistry, 1999), Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz (Literature, 1988) and Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman (Peace, 2011). NewsweekN “Kennedy’s assertion about Nobel winners is contradicted by the Nobel Prize’s own records.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Left · 1Al Jazeera reported that the remarks were widely condemned as factually incorrect and racially biased. Al JazeeraLC “have been widely condemned as factually incorrect and racially biased.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Centre · 1The rally was in a state with the highest share of residents reporting Arab ancestry, about 2.2 percent, according to 2024 Census Bureau survey data cited by Newsweek. Kennedy appeared with Rogers and Republican gubernatorial candidate John James. NewsweekN “Michigan, which has the highest share of residents reporting Arab ancestry of any state, at about 2.2 percent”“before he joined Rogers and Republican gubernatorial candidate John James at the campaign rally.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1The Muslim Brotherhood has become a contentious late issue in the Senate race. El-Sayed has denied ties to the group and has said he disavows it, and called questioning his commitment to the US Constitution "shameful" at an October 21 debate. NewsweekN “El-Sayed has denied having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and has publicly disavowed the group.”“questioning his commitment to the U.S. Constitution was “shameful.”” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Earlier that day Kennedy visited Corewell Health in Grand Rapids to promote a hospital food pledge that he said nearly 300 hospitals, including 21 Corewell facilities, had joined. Newsweek said it asked the Rogers and El-Sayed campaigns for comment; no responses were reported. NewsweekN “Kennedy said nearly 300 hospitals, including 21 Corewell facilities, had joined a pledge”“Newsweek reached out to the Rogers and El-Sayed campaigns for comment on Kennedy’s remarks.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Short item that leads with the remarks and the condemnation of them as factually wrong and racially biased.
- Emphasis
- Backlash and the characterisation of the remarks as incorrect and biased.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no campaign context, Kennedy's full quotes, or the Muslim Brotherhood discussion that prompted the remarks.
- Charged language
- “racially biased”“widely condemned”
- For example
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“have been widely condemned as factually incorrect and racially biased.” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Detailed news report that quotes Kennedy at length, places the remarks in the Michigan Senate race and the Muslim Brotherhood dispute, and fact-checks the Nobel claim.
- Emphasis
- Campaign context, Kennedy's full quotes, Nobel counterexamples, Census data, and El-Sayed's disavowal.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report reactions or condemnation beyond a request for campaign comment.
- Charged language
- “sweeping remarks”
- For example
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“delivered sweeping remarks about Arabs and Muslims while appearing at a Republican campaign rally” — Newsweek
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Kennedy, the US Health Secretary, said at a Republican rally that Arabs don't produce science or literature or win Nobel prizes.
- The remarks were widely seen as factually wrong.
Where accounts differ
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How to characterise the remarks
- Left
- Al Jazeera says they were widely condemned as factually incorrect and racially biased.
- Centre
- Newsweek calls them "sweeping remarks" and rebuts the Nobel claim with examples, without labelling them racist.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. person
Kennedy framed his comments as part of a discussion of the Muslim Brotherhood, saying talking about it "is not Islamophobia". No response to criticism was reported.
““Talking about the Muslim Brotherhood is not Islamophobia,” he added.” — Newsweek
Left1 article
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Robert F Kennedy Jr. says Arabs don’t produce science or literature
Critical Brief report foregrounding condemnation of the remarks as incorrect and racially biased.
Centre1 article
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RFK Jr. Says 500M Arabs ‘Don’t Produce Science’ at Michigan Rally
Neutral Straight news account with context and a factual rebuttal of the Nobel claim.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 27 Oct 03:26 First NewsweekN RFK Jr. Says 500M Arabs ‘Don’t Produce Science’ at Michigan Rally
- 27 Oct 10:56 +7h 30m Al JazeeraLC Robert F Kennedy Jr. says Arabs don’t produce science or literature
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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