Why RFK Jr's Son Connor Was Arrested

While the Kennedy family's political prominence began decades ago, they still manage to make headlines even today. People are still interested in knowing more about Jackie and John F. Kennedy's marriage, and new details seem to pop up regularly. Even the next generation of the Kennedy family has gained cultural relevance. In 2021, JFK's nephew Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got kicked off Instagram because he used the platform to spread vaccine misinformation. He also made headlines when he announced his intention to run for president in 2024, which JFK's grandson John Schlossberg dubbed "an embarrassment."

Although RFK Jr's wife, Cheryl Hines wasn't initially supportive of his ideologies, she's standing right behind him through the presidential run. Interestingly, out of his six children, only three attended the announcement event. His son, Conor Kennedy, was absent from the event and hasn't publicly commented on the campaign. And although Conor comes from the young Kennedy generation, he's already lived a pretty wild life.

In 2013, when Conor was 18, he was arrested with his father and approximately 40 others for civil disobedience because they participated in a peaceful protest outside the White House. The protestors gathered outside the building to speak out against the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline due to its environmental impact. All protestors were reportedly released on a $100 bail, per The Washington Post. However, that wasn't Conor's last run-in with the law.

After getting into a fight outside of a nightclub in 2016, Conor Kennedy was arrested for a second time. Per the police reports shared by The Aspen Times, Conor was repeatedly punching a man in the back of his head when the officers arrived. The policemen tried to break up the fight verbally, but that didn't stop Conor, so they had to physically restrain him. He was charged with disorderly conduct, which carried a potential $2,650 fine with up to a year's jail time. 

Conor eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. He received a six-month deferred sentence, which meant the plea wouldn't appear on his record if he didn't run into any more legal troubles during that time. The court also ordered Conor to pay $500 in fines, write an apology letter to the person he assaulted, and urged him to refrain from substance use. According to the Kennedy family and their lawyers, the fight began because the man hurled a slur at Conor's friend, who was gay.  

Even as Conor was getting arrested, he briefly told the cops, "He called my friend the f-word," but the officers couldn't decipher what that meant, per The Aspen Times. Robert F. Kennedy Jr shared his thoughts on the arrest with People, saying, "Like any father, I don't want to see my son fighting or involved with the police." He added: But on the other hand, I'm proud that he stands up to bullies."

In 2022, Conor Kennedy shared that he fought with Ukraine in its war against Russia by joining the country's International Allegiance of foreign fighters. Conor detailed his experience in an Instagram post, where he revealed that he enlisted a day after he found out that he was eligible to do so. He added that he made the decision despite having no previous military experience, so he helped by transporting heavy goods while learning what it means to become a true soldier.

Conor said he felt so passionately about Ukraine's freedom that he would lay his life down for the country. He considered it a transformative experience because he was exposed to the horrors of war and witnessed the bravery of his fellow legionnaires. And despite all the risks and traumatizing first-hand experiences he had during his short service, he claimed he would do it all over again. Conor concluded his post by urging people to help out in any way they could.

When Robert Kennedy Jr. appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show, he explained how it all went down. He started by saying that he wasn't aware Conor was heading to Ukraine to participate in the war because his son insisted that he trust him to explain everything later. RFK Jr. figured out his son's whereabouts from his credit card activity, which stopped in Poland and Ukraine. He also provided insight into Conor's contributions, saying, "He's been in firefights, mainly nighttime, and a lot of artillery fights with the Russians." He added that his son started as a drone pilot and worked his way up machine gunner.