RFK Jr. Claims on Arab Scientific and Literary Contributions Draw Condemnation During 2026 US Midterm Campaign
What happened
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserted during an October 26, 2026 campaign event in Michigan that Arabs do not produce science or win premier global academic prizes, prompting immediate international fact-checks.
The Context
* The campaign stage: The remarks occurred in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ahead of the November 2026 midterms during a Senate contest involving Arab-American candidate Abdul El-Sayed. * The historical record: Independent reviewers and international outlets cited fundamental scientific frameworks pioneered by Arab scholars, ranging from al-Khwarizmi’s algebra to Ibn al-Haytham’s optics and Ibn al-Nafis’s pulmonary circulation discoveries. * The institutional pushback: Civil rights groups including the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the remarks as factually inaccurate, while scientists publicly corrected the record across international media.
The Number
— the count of Arab or Arab-descended laureates who secured the Nobel Prize in Chemistry between 1999 and 2025 alone (Ahmed Zewail, Moungi Bawendi, and Omar Yaghi), directly refuting claims of absent scientific achievement.
Takeaway
Expect multinational research institutions and regional hubs across the Middle East to accelerate documentation of their scientific outputs as public discourse intensifies ahead of the midterm vote.
Global news coverage with extensive reporting on Middle Eastern conflicts and geopolitics.
"Al Jazeera is a Qatar-based broadcaster known for wide regional coverage and alternative perspectives."
— A47 Editor
US’s RFK Jr claims Arabs ‘don’t produce science’: Why he’s very, very wrong
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has reportedly claimed that Arabs have not made meaningful contributions to mathematics, science or literature, and do not win Nobel prizes, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The remarks, which carry a negat...
Comprehensive coverage of Middle Eastern and global issues.
"Al Jazeera is a prominent voice from the Global South, especially the Middle East, with an emphasis on underreported stories."
— A47 Editor
US’s RFK Jr claims Arabs ‘don’t produce science’: Why he’s very, very wrong
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has reportedly claimed that Arabs have not made meaningful contributions to mathematics, science or literature, and do not win Nobel prizes, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The remarks, which carry a negat...
Regional coverage and analysis focused on politics, diplomacy, and business across the Middle East.
"Al-Monitor is known for analytical reporting on Middle East politics and policy developments."
— A47 Editor
RFK Jr. sparks backlash after false claims Arabs 'don't produce science'
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew widespread criticism after reportedly claiming that Arabs, numbering around 500 million, "don't produce science" or literature, in remarks that were reported as an attack on Michigan Democratic Senate candi...
Global news coverage with extensive reporting on Middle Eastern conflicts and geopolitics.
"Al Jazeera is a Qatar-based broadcaster known for wide regional coverage and alternative perspectives."
— A47 Editor
Robert F Kennedy Jr. says Arabs don’t produce science or literature
US Secretary of Health Robert F Kennedy Jr. has reportedly said that Arabs do not produce science or literature and do not win Nobel prizes, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The remarks, which carry a negative tone, centre on claims about Arab co...
Comprehensive coverage of Middle Eastern and global issues.
"Al Jazeera is a prominent voice from the Global South, especially the Middle East, with an emphasis on underreported stories."
— A47 Editor
Robert F Kennedy Jr. says Arabs don’t produce science or literature
US Secretary of Health Robert F Kennedy Jr. has reportedly said that Arabs do not produce science or literature and do not win Nobel prizes, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The remarks, which carry a negative tone, centre on claims about Arab co...