Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a neurological voice disorder called spasmodic dysphonia. This rare condition causes involuntary spasms of the muscles that control the vocal cords, leading to a voice that sounds strained, broken, breathy, or strangled. It often results in a raspy, shaky, or tremulous voice quality, which Kennedy has publicly discussed and treated with Botox injections
. Spasmodic dysphonia is caused by abnormal neural activity in the brain areas that regulate muscle movement, such as the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex, but the exact cause remains unknown. It is considered a focal laryngeal dystonia with a neurological origin, and it typically appears in middle age, affecting about 50,000 people in North America, with a higher prevalence in women
. Kennedy has noted that his voice does not tire easily but sounds awful due to this neurological injury. He has also speculated about possible triggers, including a potential link to flu vaccines, though no scientific proof supports this connection
. In summary, what is "wrong" with RFK Jr. is that he suffers from spasmodic dysphonia, a rare neurological disorder causing involuntary vocal cord spasms that affect his voice quality
