RFK Jr. took his family swimming in bacteria-filled Rock Creek, ignoring warnings against swimming or even wading.

Question

RFK Jr. took his kids and grandkids for a swim in the bacteria-infested Rock Creek last weekend, despite warnings not to swim or even wade there.

#PublicHealthMalpractice even with his family.

thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Answer 1

On X, RFK Jr. posted photos of him and his grandchildren swimming in the Rock Creek. This proves that the claim is true. Even though the claim's evidence is from a site where anyone can post anything, causing it to be less trustworthy, the claim is backed up with photo evidence from RFK Jr. himself. NBC news also covers the story in the article, "RFK Jr. Goes Swimming with Grandchildren in Contaminated D.C. Creek" by Zoe Richards and states, "Washington, D.C., has banned swimming in Rock Creek, the Potomac River and other nearby waters since 1971 as a result of contamination"(Richards). This proves both parts of the claim, that RFK Jr. did take his kids and grandkids swimming in Rock Creek and that the creek is infested with unsafe bacteria. The individual who posted this claim has also posted multiple true claims, which gives them more credibility. 

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1921609958631575969%7Ctwgr%5Eaef390a81980ebf567b2654f384cf4b85648bcee%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FWxe8jdL%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-jr-swimming-grandchildren-contaminated-rock-creek-dc-bacteria-rcna206416

Comments

This was such an interesting fact check to read! I thought it was really effective how you tied in both RFK Jr.’s own social media post and a credible news outlet like NBC to support the claim. Including the direct quote from the article about the swimming ban made the situation feel really clear and real. It’s also helpful that you mentioned the original poster’s history of accurate claims, which adds even more credibility.

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This check was very straightforward and looks into the original source of the claim and not only checking, but also seeing how credible that source is because it was a post made by an individual which can be very misleading as a place for credible information.

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I like that you cited RFK Jr.'s own pictures as evidence using his own social media as a primary source is smart. I believe that your analysis might need more into the limitations of the use of self posted material. Only because RFK Jr. posts photographs does not necessarily mean that the context or implications are there.

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Well done. I like that you used a primary and secondary source for this fact check. However maybe you could have talked more about the credibility of the NBC article. You mention in your post that where the claim was first made is not trustworthy because its on social media. But then say that the post is true anyways because the poster is legit. I think it would make your post stronger if you covered NBCs breakdown more in depth here. Maybe why NBC is more credible or a summary of what they say more in depth.

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I really liked your sources and found it great that you used his own social media to prove your point even further and get evidence right from the source. I'm glad that you used a second credible source and it helped your point even further.

Answer 2

After doing some research It appears this is true. After looking deeper into the actual article on Mother's Day 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced backlash for sharing pictures of himself swimming with his grandkids in Rock Creek, a contaminated waterway in Washington, D.C. Even though there have been long-standing restrictions against swimming and wading there because of dangerous bacteria and pathogens, Kennedy posted these family outing photos from Dumbarton Oaks Park on social media. I also went to his post on X and it appear he was swimming in the creek. There was no evidence that his grandkids were actually submerged in the water. Given the context we have though it is 100% true that he was swimming in Rock Creek which is not allowed.

sources: RFK Jr. swims in Rock Creek despite ban due to bacteria levels

Robert F. Kennedy Jr on X: "Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park with Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, and Jackson, and a swim with my grandchildren, Bobcat and Cassius in Rock Creek. https://t.co/TXowaSMTFY" / X

Comments

I like how you fact checked this by looking at different articles but you also looked at his social media post for even more evidence

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I appreciate your unbiased comment on this fact check and I think your viewing of a wide range of sources really helped you establish a solid answer to this claim. I think that showing you went on the actual social media post yourself to do some deeper digging shows your knowledge of the subject as well. Well done!

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Your comment stood out to me because you provided extensive detail. I liked how you thoroughly mentioned the location of where Kennedy and his family was. That being said, I think your reply should have been stated as Misleading due there being no prof that Kennedys grandkids were swimming in the water. By stating that the claim is fully true you allow for rumors and misinformation to spread about the Kennedy grandkids.

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I like how you analyzed the photos he posted and saw that they were mostly of him swimming in the water, and there were none of his grandchildren actually fully submerged in the water.

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Your fact-check was very thoughtful as you stated that you not only researched this claim using other articles, but you also went on Kennedy's X account to confirm the information. Your claim and reasoning was in depth and you used multiple sources to back up this information. You also remained unbiased when stating this information which is important when fact-checking a claim.

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Great job using evidence from both RFK Jr.'s social media and an article from The Hill. The helps make your argument stronger. In situations like this, I think it is important to go to the first source, being RFK Jr. but also a source that has more information, in this situation about the lake. In many situations using X can be not great but i think it was used perfectly here. My only question is did you do research outside X and The Hill, just to make sure the information on The Hill was accurate.

Answer 3

This claim is true. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services Secretary of the United States took his grandchildren to Rock Creek, Washington D.C. where they swam in the water. It has been posted on the National Park Service website that swimming or wading in Rock Creek are not allowed "due to high bacteria levels." This level of danger means that all individuals, including pets as well, are not allowed to enter the water to any facet. RFK Jr. posted pictures with his family members and other members of his cabinet on social media, submerged in the water.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5295429-rfk-jr-rock-creek-swimming/

http://nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/stay-dry-stay-safe.htm#:~:text=Stay%20safe%20while%20enjoying%20Rock,pets!)%20safe%20from%20illness.

Comments

This is a great response! You did a good job breaking down the situation and explaining why it matters. I like how you backed it up with clear sources and made it easy to understand the risk. It’s surprising to see someone in that position ignoring the rules, especially when the safety warning is so clear. Nice work putting it all together in a way that feels real and thoughtful.

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The article from The Hill is a good source since it includes information from the Health and Human Services. The part where it states how the rules have been present for a while but not heavily enforced makes it even more reasonable that the claim is true and RFK Jr. brought his family there to go swimming despite the rules.

Answer 4

This claim is true. According to the National Park Service people should avoid Rock Creek due to "high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens". This story has been blowing up online recently, and has lead to major backlash against RFK Jr. RFK posted photos of him and his grandchildren swimming in the creek, and these photos have been included in lots of articles online since. 

NBC News article: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-jr-swimming-grandchildren-contaminated-rock-creek-dc-bacteria-rcna206416

NBC

Answer 5

Upon further research, this claim checks out. In an article posted by NBC news, Robert F. Kennedy JR's family was seen taking a dip in rock creek, a small river in the DC area. The article states that since 1971, rock creek and other waters nearby have been shut out from swimming, due to contamination from the surrounding area, as well as the general Washington DC area.

The river seems to contain Extremely heightened levels of dangerous bacteria. This includes "chronic elevated levels" of E.coli, a bacteria which is widely known to be dangerous and in a lot of cases, lethal. Based on the post on X, as well as the information given to us by nbc, the claim that RFK Jr. took his family for a dip in the contaminated rock creek, seems to be true.

Thank you for posting!

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-jr-swimming-grandchildren-contaminated-rock-creek-dc-bacteria-rcna206416

Answer 6

This claim is true. It originates from when Kennedy posted four different pictures on Twitter. An article by NBC News states an ongoing National Park Service advisory against coming in contact with the water in Washington, D.C., due to high bacteria levels. This shows that it is not safe to be in the water. The pictures also show evidence that Kennedy was in the water with his family, even though it was unsafe. This confirms that the claim is true. 

Source:

NBC Article

Answer 7

If this is true, that’s pretty concerning, but is there verified data on water quality from local health or environmental agencies? Also, were these warning signs clearly posted and current at the time?

Answer 8

This claim originates from Mother's Day weekend, May 11th, 2025. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, shared photos on the media platform X of himself and his grandchildren swimming/swanning in Rock Creek, D.C. The National Park Service (NPS) has long prohibited swimming in Rock Creek due to the high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens, posing health hazards to humans and pets. A simple search on the NPS website will provide this information.

News sources were quick to cover this, and an expert named Bill Sullivan, PhD, a microbiologist, stated on "Self," a health-oriented website, noted that exposure to pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and noroviruses can lead to serious health issues, including gastrointestinal illness and liver failure. The creek’s contamination is exacerbated by sewage overflows and runoff, making it unsafe for recreational activities.

In summary, the claim is supported by multiple sources confirming that Robert F. Kennedy did put not just himself but his grandchildren in danger by swanning in Rock Creek, building up more tension with his title as "the top health official."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/05/13/kennedy-swimming-rock-creek-sewage

https://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm

https://www.self.com/story/microbiologist-rfk-jr-creek-swim-health-risks?

Answer 9

The claim that RFK Jr. took his family for a swim in a bacteria infested lake deems to be true. For Mothers Day weekend, RFK Jr. took his family out for a hike at Rock Creek Park. There's a picture he posted in where he is fully submerged into the water, and National Park Services had an advisory against coming in contact with the water due to "high bacteria levels'" and on the same notice was said to stay out of the water to protect streambanks, plants and animals ... to keep safe from illness. After further research, I found the pictures RFK Jr. posted on X, which had included 4 pictures where only he was fully in the water but surrounded by (what I'm sure is) his grandkids and family with the caption "Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park with Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, and Jackson, and a swim with my grandchildren, Bobcat and Cassius in Rock Creek."

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rfk-jr-swimming-grandchildren-contaminated-rock-creek-dc-bacteria-rcna206416

https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1921609958631575969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1921609958631575969%7Ctwgr%5E2b47dd45027fd5d21e6dac03ef64677e4bb4d841%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FWxe8jdL%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/us/politics/rfk-jr-rock-creek-bacteria.html