During a recent appearance on MS NOW, Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of President John F. Kennedy, outlined a specific series of requirements that would need to be met before President Donald Trump could be considered for the Profile in Courage Award.
As a member of the Profile in Courage Award committee, Schlossberg is currently seeking election to Congress for the New York House seat that Rep. Jerry Nadler is leaving after representing Manhattan for 34 years. Host Jackie Alemany questioned whether Trump’s known love of accolades and his pattern of gravitating toward Kennedy-related matters could ever make him eligible for the prestigious recognition.
The Kennedy family established the award, which the JFK Library manages, to honor elected officials who display politically brave leadership consistent with the principles outlined in President Kennedy’s work “Profiles in Courage.”
When asked about Trump’s potential eligibility, Schlossberg provided a frank evaluation.
“If President Trump admitted to the many crimes and the grift that he has committed while president in office, stepped down and handed over the power of the presidency to somebody responsible and not somebody in his own cabinet,” Schlossberg began, outlining his criteria for the award.
Building on his requirements, he linked Trump’s possible path to earning the honor with concerns regarding his cousin’s Cabinet appointment. According to Schlossberg, Trump would also need to disclose the actual motivations for appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services, and expose who is financing the statements RFK Jr. makes. Such actions, Schlossberg indicated, might represent the type of bravery the committee seeks to recognize.
His evaluation ended with a clear declaration: Schlossberg said Trump is not in the running anytime soon.
Beyond discussing the award, Schlossberg’s comments about Trump went further. He characterized Trump as having an obsession with the Kennedys, a preoccupation that has appeared repeatedly during Trump’s time in the public eye. In American political history, the Kennedy surname holds considerable influence, symbolizing a multi-generational tradition of serving the public.
The candidate for Congress has been especially outspoken in opposing his cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his stewardship of the Department of Health and Human Services. Schlossberg characterized RFK Jr. as dangerous and denounced his performance as department head, highlighting specific results of his time in charge.
During RFK Jr.’s tenure, HHS has seen workforce reductions of 25 percent, substantially diminishing the agency’s capability to fulfill its public health protection responsibilities. These personnel cuts have generated alarm among health professionals regarding the department’s preparedness for health emergencies and continuation of vital programs.
The public health ramifications of decisions made during RFK Jr.’s leadership have been severe. The United States has experienced a widespread measles outbreak, with record-high measles cases. The crisis has turned fatal, with three measles deaths reported—the first measles deaths in the country in about a decade.
Schlossberg challenged Kennedy’s wife, Cheryl Hines, directly, asking if she could call the family of a child who died of measles and apologize to them. His remarks pointed to a measles outbreak in Texas at the time, highlighting the human toll of vaccine skepticism.
The congressional run by Schlossberg signals a new generation emerging in Democratic politics. On Nov 12, 2025, he made his candidacy official, first notifying supporters via email before changing his social media profiles to show his status as a contender for New York’s House seat.
In recent years, the Profile in Courage Award has effectively become recognition that opposes Trump, honoring officials who have challenged the president despite facing substantial personal and professional consequences. Former Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was honored with the award for his readiness to oppose his party based on conviction. Former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming received comparable recognition for her position on constitutional issues.
Former Vice President Mike Pence was honored for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of presidential power on January 6, 2021. The award’s official description emphasized the dangers Pence confronted for upholding his constitutional obligations during a critical national moment.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was granted the Profile in Courage Award for resisting years of personal attacks and threats from the highest levels of government. Powell’s honor acknowledged his refusal to yield to Trump’s demands regarding monetary policy, preserving the Fed’s autonomy despite ongoing public condemnation from the president.
The people of the Twin Cities, Minnesota, also received recognition for protesting the president’s policies, demonstrating how the award extends beyond individual officials to honor collective acts of democratic resistance.
Caroline Kennedy has been a prominent figure in Democratic politics and diplomacy, serving in various ambassadorial roles. The tradition of public service associated with the Kennedy family remains influential in American politics, despite family members such as RFK Jr. breaking sharply from the family’s historic Democratic affiliation.
The candidate has amassed a substantial social media audience, with 800,000 followers. Through his online platforms, he has combined earnest political discussion with more imaginative and occasionally divisive material, positioning himself as a representative voice for younger Democrats adapting to contemporary media environments.
When Alemany raised the possibility of Trump receiving the award, she highlighted a fundamental conflict in current American politics—the convergence of Trump’s pursuit of acclaim and affirmation with his conduct that many perceive as contradicting democratic principles. The Profile in Courage Award embodies ideals of honesty, conviction, and readiness to forfeit political benefit for collective welfare, standards that Schlossberg clearly believes Trump has not met.
The appearance by Schlossberg represented another installment in his sustained public opposition to both Trump and his cousin’s position within the present administration. While pursuing Nadler’s seat in the center of Manhattan, Schlossberg has established himself as an individual prepared to address directly the dangers facing democratic systems and public health, advancing what he perceives as his grandfather’s tradition of brave leadership.
The distinction between the Kennedy family’s historic influence and current political realities continues to be a recurring subject in Schlossberg’s public remarks. Though Trump pursues connection with the Kennedy identity and reputation, Schlossberg has clearly stated that he considers the president’s conduct as fundamentally contrary to the principles his grandfather embodied. The conversation about the Profile in Courage Award encapsulated this conflict, with Schlossberg describing requirements for Trump’s consideration that would necessitate essentially undoing his presidency—a result Schlossberg clearly considers highly unlikely.
