Just four months into the job, and just days after he took that no-no Mother’s Day dip into contaminated Rock Creek Park, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke before Congress for the first time on Wednesday, May 14. During his testimony on the White House’s budget request, he was grilled from both sides of the aisle on contentious issues like measles vaccines, axed medical research funds, fluoride, DOGE-induced job cuts, and more. It was a spectacle, to say the least, between protesters jumping up with signs and a fired-up Ben Cohen (of Ben & Jerry’s) detained early on.
But in a lesser-noticed part of the bizarre day, a certain South Block smoothie attempted to steal the show. The Trump appointee’s apparent morning beverage of choice, recognized by its “You Rock” logo splashed across the plastic cup, looked more like a product placement ad as it sat in front of his name tag. Founded in Clarendon in 2011, the local favorite for smoothies, acai bowls, and cold-pressed juices has nearly 20 locations scattered across the DMV (with a newly announced expansion to Charlotte, N.C. in the works). The closest one to the U.S. Capitol resides in Union Market, but it’s unclear where Kennedy actually obtained the drink — or why it was positioned so prominently at the high-profile hearing.
“South Block does not have a partnership with RFK Jr. but has many loyal fans across D.C. and is looking forward to expanding into Charlotte,” a South Block spokesperson tells Eater on Thursday.
Kennedy was also geared up to double fist a Harmless Harvest coconut water, which was also featured front and center (though he was not seen sipping either on TV).
The drinks, only visible while he testified before the House Committee on Appropriations in the morning, quickly exited stage left after lunch. Both brands took a back seat to an alleged iced tea in a generic clear cup as he testified to the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the afternoon.
