Ossoff Blames RFK Jr. for Nation’s Explosive Diarrhea Outbreak

When Jon Ossoff sat down to write a letter to former health czar Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he wasn’t just being political—he was, frankly, terrified. The Georgia senator, 39, pointed to a sudden surge in cyclospora infections that had turned ordinary bathroom trips into, as he put it, “explosive diarrhea” episodes across the United States.

In his missive, Ossoff called Kennedy’s decision to slash the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network “foolish” and “self‑indulgent.” The network, which used to keep tabs on eight food‑borne pathogens, was trimmed to just two in July 2025. That cut, according to Ossoff, left the country blind to the Cyclospora parasite until it erupted in May.

Normally the CDC logs about 250 cases of cyclosporiasis a year. Since May 1, more than 7,000 suspected or confirmed cases have been reported, according to Today. The parasite causes watery, sometimes violent diarrhea, plus nausea, cramping, bloating and a low‑grade fever. No deaths have been recorded, but nearly 100 people have ended up in hospitals.

“Americans are suffering from severe diarrhea and painful complications,” Ossoff wrote, adding that the Trump administration had “actively undermined food safety.” He asked Kennedy to explain why the surveillance program was gutted and whether it had been rebuilt, demanding answers within 72 hours.

Four days have slipped by and Kennedy has not replied. Meanwhile, the search for the source of the outbreak has hit a few bumps. The FDA first blamed a bad batch of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms—one that supplies major chains like Taco Bell—only to backtrack on Sunday, calling the initial finding a false positive. The agency says it’s still looking at Taylor’s lettuce, but the misstep has only added to public frustration.

Food‑safety experts have long warned that trimming surveillance would leave the nation exposed. “A lot of the work that I and many, many, many people have put into improving food safety over the past 20 or 30 years is just going away,” warned Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, back in 2025.

As the CDC scrambles to contain the outbreak, parents nationwide are left wondering whether the produce aisle is safe for their families—a concern Ossoff said is “unacceptable.” The political fallout is still unfolding, but one thing is clear: the debate over public‑health funding has taken a very uncomfortable, and very… messy, turn.