Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is undergoing surgery, a spokesperson said on March 10.
Kennedy, 72, is having rotator cuff surgery, the spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told The Epoch Times in an email.
The rotator cuff refers to a group of muscles and tendons that help the shoulder move.
Kennedy is planning to return to work on March 16.
The spokesperson declined to say how Kennedy was injured or where the surgery is being done.
Rotator cuff injuries are common and mostly stem from wear and tear of tendon issue from repetitive lifting or motions, including movements in baseball and tennis, although some happen suddenly during accidents, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Surgery of the rotator cuff is often only recommended after one's pain does not subside with nonsurgical treatments. Doctors may suggest surgery for people who are very active or often use their arms for work or sports.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that rotator cuff surgery usually involves stitching or reattaching torn rotator cuff tendons back to the head of the upper arm bone. Partial tears may only need trimming or smoothing.
Recovering from such an operation can take four to six months.
Kennedy frequently engages in high-intensity workouts and has shared video footage from the sessions. In February, he worked out with the musician Kid Rock. In late 2025, he did pull-ups at Reagan National Airport while promoting new grants for mini gyms and other improves spaces at airports. He has for months been promoting a challenge that involves Americans doing 100 pushups and 50 pullups in a single session.
"I go to the gym for 35 minutes," Kennedy said on the Lex Fridman podcast in 2023. "I've been exercising for 50 years and what I found is it's sustainable if I do just the short period, and I do four different routines at the gym. And I never relax at the gym—I go in there and I have a very intense exercise."
Kennedy entered the 2024 presidential race but ultimately dropped out, endorsing Republican rival President Donald Trump. After Trump assumed office for a second term, he selected Kennedy as his health secretary, with Kennedy narrowly winning approval from the Senate.
Kennedy has in the past suffered from heart issues, including atrial fibrillation. He underwent surgery in 2023 in Japan to implant titanium vocal cords to help deal with spasmodic dysphonia, a vocal disorder.