- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia around 1996.
- One symptom of the rare neurological disorder is a raspy, halting voice.
- There is no cure for the condition, but patients can undergo speech therapy or vocal fold surgery.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s health services, has a neurological condition that changes the way he talks.
As he is answering questions from Senators in Washington this week, before they vote to decide whether he’ll be the next US Secretary of Health and Human Services, he’s answering in his distinctly raspy voice.
Kennedy, 71, previously revealed he was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia when he was in his early 40s.
“It began as a mild tremble for a couple of years,” Kennedy told Oprah Winfrey in 2007, adding that he believed his condition had worsened over the years.
Kennedy has also had several other health issues. He told The New York Times that he developed mercury poisoning from a diet very high in tuna and perch, and contracted a parasite that traveled into his brain. He also has an irregular heart rhythm (AFib).
What is spasmodic dysphonia?
Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary spasms in the muscles of the voice box, also known as the larynx. The condition means vocal cords don’t vibrate normally.
Spasmodic dysphonia can strain an individual’s ability to speak, sometimes causing their voice to sound hoarse or breathy. Humming, laughing, singing, swallowing, and crying can also be impacted.
What causes spasmodic dysphonia?
The exact cause of spasmodic dysphonia is unknown.
“Spasmodic dysphonia is thought to be caused by abnormal functioning in an area of the brain called the basal ganglia,” according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. “The basal ganglia help coordinate the movements of muscles throughout the body.”
Research has also found abnormalities in areas of the cerebral cortex — the section of the brain that controls muscle movement, the NIDCD says.
Spasmodic dysphonia may be inherited, but a specific gene for the disorder has not yet been identified.
There is no evidence that spasmodic dysphonia is caused by vaccines, but Kennedy has suggested that his disorder might’ve been prompted by a flu shot. “I haven’t been able to figure out any other cause,” he told podcaster Joshua Lane in 2021.
Afterward, he told NBC the idea is just “my own speculation.”
Is spasmodic dysphonia painful?
The condition is not known to be painful, but it does make it harder to speak.
When asked if it hurts to talk, Kennedy told Winfrey “no, but it’s an effort.”
Kennedy told NewsNation in 2023 that he feels the condition makes it “problematical” for people to listen to him.
“I cannot listen to myself on TV,” he joked. “So I feel sorry for you guys.”
Can spasmodic dysphonia be cured?
Symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia, which is a chronic condition, often develop around middle age, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The symptoms can also be worse under stress.
There is no cure for the condition, but there are treatment options available, including speech therapy and psychological counseling to treat mild cases. Botox injections can also help.
In 2024, Kennedy told NBC’s Brandy Zadrozny that he recently underwent surgery in Japan to have a titanium bridge implanted between his vocal folds, which helps strengthen his voice.
How rare is spasmodic dysphonia?
The disorder is rare and impacts about 1 in 100,000 people, according to a 2011 study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
“Hellboy” actor Selma Blair, CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues, and journalist Diane Rehm all have spasmodic dysphonia.
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