Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized CNN anchor Erin Burnett, accusing her of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” which he claims has impaired her “common sense” and “basic arithmetic.” As the Secretary of Health and Human Services under Trump, Kennedy was upset about a segment on “Erin Burnett OutFront” that questioned the affordability of a meal plan he promoted.
A report by CNN on August 19, conducted by correspondent Tom Foreman, examined Kennedy’s recipe claims but did not mention Donald Trump directly.
Foreman investigated the cost of preparing a meal featured on Kennedy’s YouTube cooking show, “The Real Food Show.” Kennedy stated that a dinner for four, consisting of wild Alaskan salmon cakes with a white-bean salad, would cost $19.64. However, Foreman’s research at a local grocery chain found the cost to exceed three times that amount, totaling $70.54.
In a post on X Thursday evening, Kennedy expressed his discontent with CNN and Burnett regarding the report.
“Trump Derangement Syndrome has so debilitated @ErinBurnett that she has abandoned both common sense and basic arithmetic,” Kennedy wrote, referencing a term Trump often uses for his critics.
Kennedy further argued, “CNN wants us to incorporate the full package price of every ingredient, regardless of what is used in the recipe. If you put a squirt of ketchup on your burger, would you be surprised if the restaurant charged you for the whole bottle?”
Kennedy explained that “The Real Food Show” employs standard recipe costing, considering only the amounts used in the preparation. He stated, “The rest stays in your kitchen for the next meal — and the meals after that.” He concluded by saying, “Our goal is simple: help Americans reclaim their kitchens, cook healthy food without breaking the bank, and stock their pantries with high-quality ingredients they can use again and again. That’s how we Make America Healthy Again.”
Variety has contacted CNN for their response.
Kennedy’s tweet included a post by “OutFront” featuring a clip from Foreman’s report. The report stated, “CNN remakes one of the ‘affordable’ meals from RFK Jr.’s new cooking show. It should cost under $5 per serving, but what’s the real price point? @tomforemancnn reports.”
Foreman noted in his report that the Department of Health and Human Services maintains this is a standard recipe-costing methodology and aims to help Americans stock up on high-quality ingredients for multiple meals.
Foreman identified the source of the price discrepancy, explaining that Kennedy’s calculations prorated the cost of certain ingredients for the specific amounts used. For instance, “The Real Food Show” priced a single egg at 25 cents, though eggs are typically sold by the dozen, which Foreman bought for $2.79. Similarly, Kennedy’s valuation of avocado mayonnaise was 40 cents for a few tablespoons, whereas Foreman found the full bottle cost $11.19.
“They’re only pricing parts of it, and grocery stores don’t sell things that way,” Foreman remarked.
After preparing and tasting the dish, Foreman acknowledged its flavor and health benefits. Nonetheless, he remarked, “I do not see, having made this, how you can walk into a grocery store with $20 and come out with what you need to make four plates of this for a family.”
