Fox News Host Mistakenly Praises Parody RFK Jr. Account Mocking Oprah Winfrey
Fox & Friends Weekend presenter Rachel Campos-Duffy has found herself at the centre of online ridicule after appearing to fall for a parody social media account impersonating Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The conservative commentator enthusiastically endorsed fake comments mocking television icon Oprah Winfrey, declaring the imitation account represented the "greatest HHS Secretary EVER" before being corrected by platform moderators.
The Controversial Social Media Exchange
The incident unfolded when a commentary account marked clearly as parody responded to Oprah Winfrey's recent appearance on The View, where the talk show legend discussed obesity genetics. The fake Kennedy account, which states explicitly it has "no affiliation to the real RFKJR," criticised Winfrey's comments about genetic predisposition to overeating, instead emphasising personal responsibility.
"Dear Oprah, Yes, you were overeating! For years," the parody account wrote. "And it wasn't some mystical 'obesity gene' puppeteering your fork. It was your choices. Stop selling surrender as science. Our kids deserve the truth that real change starts with personal accountability, not excuses. MAHA."
Campos-Duffy, a former Real World cast member married to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, responded enthusiastically to this parody content, tweeting: "This is amazing. Greatest HHS Secretary EVER." Her post was quickly flagged with a Community Note clarifying that the account she referenced was not genuine.
Swift Correction and Public Reaction
The Community Note attached to Campos-Duffy's tweet stated plainly: "The account being quoted is not actually RFK Jr., it's a commentary/parody account. A community note is needed as people may believe she is quoting the HHS Secretary." Despite this correction, the Fox News host's original tweet remained live at the time of reporting.
Social media users were quick to mock the apparent blunder, with one commenting: "Mrs. Real World thinks this is a real account," while others described the situation as "so funny" that she "fell for this." The incident proved particularly awkward given Campos-Duffy's husband recently participated in a publicised pull-up contest with the real Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Ronald Reagan National Airport as part of a Trump administration travel campaign.
Campos-Duffy's History with MAHA Movement
This social media misstep occurs within the context of Campos-Duffy's longstanding support for Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement. The Fox host has been an outspoken critic of COVID-19 vaccinations, previously describing the pandemic as a "scam" and comparing vaccine mandates to "apartheid." She revealed in 2022 that neither she nor then-colleague Pete Hegseth had received coronavirus vaccines, despite Fox News's New York office mandate at the time.
Since Donald Trump's return to the White House and Kennedy's appointment as health secretary, Campos-Duffy has enthusiastically promoted the administration's MAHA narrative. This has included featuring her family's lifestyle on Fox programming, with the network previously airing a segment showing the Duffy family's "MAHA breakfast" routine from their New Jersey home.
Pattern of Social Media Missteps
This incident represents not an isolated error but part of a pattern for the Fox News personality. In late 2020, Campos-Duffy appeared to encourage online attacks against her then-colleague Jedediah Bila after temporarily filling in for her on Fox & Friends Weekend. These repeated social media controversies highlight the challenges facing media figures navigating the complex landscape of online verification and parody accounts.
The Independent has contacted Fox News for comment regarding Campos-Duffy's latest social media controversy, though no response has been received at the time of publication. The incident underscores the increasing difficulty in distinguishing genuine political commentary from parody in today's fragmented media environment, particularly for public figures with substantial platforms and influence.
