U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked controversy with comments about Arab contributions to science and literature. Speaking at a campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kennedy claimed Arabs do not produce science or win major prizes like the Nobel or Fields. His remarks have been widely condemned as untrue and racially biased, especially in a state with a large Arab American population. Critics point out that Arabs have indeed won Nobel Prizes, including Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz and Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman. An HHS representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.