Why MAGA men keep posting workout videos

If you’ve seen even one video of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. working out shirtless in jeans, you’ve seen enough. But there are dozens more, featuring him and other men from the Trump administration grinding through pull-ups, push-ups and heavy lifts with a level of intensity that borders on absurd. In this video, I break down why these fitness stunts have little to do with improving Americans’ health or promoting real discipline. And it goes beyond cringe: RFK Jr. just announced he is launching a podcast with medical “experts,” which raises serious concerns about misinformation and public health risks—again. My guest this week is Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, Ph.D., a professor of history at The New School. She has written extensively about the history of the American fitness industry. Subscribe here on YouTube for more Standing Room Only, airing weekly Thursdays at 5 PM ET on YouTube. 🥳 Standing Room Only started as a newsletter. Join the party and get it in your inbox 2x a week by clicking here: https://www.salon.com/newsletter 🤓 Read Amanda Marcotte's writing on Salon.com here: https://www.salon.com/writer/amanda_marcotte 👍 Follow Amanda on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/amandamarcotte.bsky.social ✌️ Support Salon’s mission—become a member: https://www.salon.com/premium?utm_source=youtube-sro&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=become-a-member-ytsro 🎵 Like our Encore segment? Follow the Standing Room Only Playlist on Spotify to hear the full songs and more recommendations from Amanda: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xGJv3dQ8BPbO2gMw53dvB pete hegseth workout, rfk jr workout, maga men workout, alternative health rfk jr, weird workout trends, political commentary, kash patel, markwayne mullin