Senate Blocks RFK Jr.’s Daughter-in-Law from Top CIA Job

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ambitious plan to land his daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a top job at the CIA has reportedly hit a snag, with the Senate Intelligence Committee blocking the move. According to Axios, the Department of Health and Human Services secretary nominee had been working behind the scenes to get his former campaign manager nominated as the CIA’s deputy director under John Ratcliffe.

The controversial move is reportedly part of RFK Jr.’s broader effort to uncover more details surrounding the 1963 assassination of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy. However, Fox Kennedy, who is married to RFK Jr.’s son, Bobby Kennedy III, has now been ruled out of the running due to opposition from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

But it’s not all bad news for Fox Kennedy. While her CIA nomination has been blocked, she may still find another prominent role in the administration, potentially with former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence. Axios reports that Fox Kennedy could also end up with a White House position.

RFK Jr.’s desire to have Fox Kennedy at the CIA stems from his belief that her role would give her access to classified documents related to the JFK assassination, which was carried out by Lee Harvey Oswald. The move was seen as a strategic way for RFK Jr. to advance his quest for more information on the assassination, especially since Trump has promised to release the remaining JFK files. The two have developed an unlikely relationship, described by The New York Times as “one of the strangest in modern political history.”

Before any of this can unfold, however, RFK Jr. is scheduled for questioning on Capitol Hill regarding his views on vaccines and food, particularly in light of his controversial stance on vaccine science and his opinions on America’s obesity crisis. His nomination has already faced criticism from many Democrats, with some Republicans also expressing concern. Despite this, RFK Jr. has begun a charm offensive in Washington D.C. to win over senators.

Fox Kennedy herself is a former CIA operative who spent a decade at the agency. She gained notoriety with her 2019 memoir, Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA, which raised eyebrows both inside and outside the agency. The book, which detailed her time in the CIA, sparked controversy over reports that she hadn’t cleared its contents with the CIA’s Publication Review Board before publishing. Some former CIA officers also questioned the accuracy and truthfulness of her account, according to the Daily Mail.