Kennedy states Arabs produce no science or literature during Michigan rally

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a crowd in Michigan on October 28 that the Arab world has failed to produce science or literature. Speaking in support of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, Kennedy argued that despite a population of 500 million, Arabs do not generate scientific work or win major academic awards.

The conflict between Kennedy’s statement and the historical record emerged immediately after the rally. He claimed, “There’s 500 million Arabs in the world. And yet they don’t produce science,” before listing specific prizes that Arabs have not won, including the Nobel Prize, the Fields Prize, and the Wolf Prize. He added that they do not produce literature.

The timeline of Arab recipients for these awards spans several decades. In 1999, Egyptian-American scientist Ahmed Zewail received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry. A decade later, in 2011, Yemeni journalist Tawakkol Karman shared the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first Arab woman to receive the award. In 2025, Jordanian-born chemist Omar M. Yaghi was one of three recipients of the Nobel Prize and had previously won the 2018 Wolf Prize in Chemistry.

Literary and mathematical honors have also gone to Arab or Arab-descent individuals. Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988. Sir Michael Atiyah, who is of Lebanese descent, received the Fields Medal in 1966. Egyptian diplomat Mohamed El Baradei won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 alongside the International Atomic Energy Agency for efforts to prevent the military use of nuclear energy.

Political Nobel Prizes have also recognized Arab leaders. Former Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin following the Camp David Accords. Yasser Arafat, the former head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, received the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin for their efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Kennedy is currently serving as HHS Secretary and is campaigning for Rogers in Michigan. The state election is scheduled for November 2, 2026. Rogers is seeking to fill the Senate seat held by Democrat Debbie Stabenow.

The Associated Press and other fact-checkers have reviewed the list of prize winners against Kennedy’s claims. The records show that multiple individuals of Arab heritage or origin have received the specific awards cited by the HHS secretary in his speech.