U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., already known for his unorthodox views on vaccines and public health, is now drawing attention for an entirely different reason: hiking in extreme heat — while wearing jeans.
On Saturday morning, Kennedy, 71, took on Camelback Mountain, a steep and challenging trail near Phoenix, Arizona, as temperatures soared past 90°F (32°C). Later that day, Phoenix would hit a sweltering 107°F (41°C). Despite the heat, Kennedy opted for dark blue jeans and a sweat-soaked green T-shirt, posing for photos along the way.
The wardrobe choice left some fellow hikers baffled.
“It was about 92°F at the time, so very impressive for him to do that at his age,” hiker Matt Larson told Fox 10. “But I remember thinking: ‘That wouldn’t be my choice of hiking apparel in this weather.’ Maybe it’s a generational thing.”
Larson added that it was “cool” to meet Kennedy but warned, “It’s pretty risky to hike in this heat if you’re not used to it.”
Online reactions were swift and incredulous. “Bro is out here hiking that damn mountain in jeans and 110+ weather!?” one user on X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed. Another asked, “Jeans? Phoenix? July?!?”
Kennedy’s decision also stood in stark contrast to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which falls under his department. The CDC advises people to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activity during peak heat, and wear “loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing” during heatwaves. Heat-related deaths have surged in the U.S., with over 2,300 fatalities recorded in 2023 — a number experts say may be significantly underreported.
But this isn’t the first time Kennedy’s denim devotion has raised eyebrows. The vaccine skeptic has been filmed lifting weights at the gym shirtless — and still in jeans. And in May, he was photographed waist-deep in Rock Creek, a polluted waterway in Washington, D.C., playing with his grandchildren while wearing jeans and no shirt.
Rock Creek is known for high levels of bacteria, including E. coli, due to sewage and stormwater runoff. City officials have banned swimming in the creek because of health risks to both people and pets.
Kennedy, who once revealed that a parasitic worm had eaten a portion of his brain, has a history of headline-grabbing outdoor stunts. Before joining the Trump administration, he admitted to once tying a dead whale to the roof of his car and, on a separate occasion, accidentally killing a baby bear and dumping the body in Central Park to make it appear it had been struck by a cyclist.
The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the Arizona hike.
