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Fitness and health expert Jillian Michaels ripped The New York Times on Tuesday for publishing what she called a “blatant hit piece” about her support of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In an X post, Michaels called out the outlet for publishing a video essay accusing her and other pro-MAHA influencers of leading millions of Americans down a conspiracy theory-lined rabbit hole that has left them distrusting the health care system. Michaels noted how the outlet had portrayed her more fairly in a profile last month.
“I JUST gave the @nytimes credit for an honest, balanced portrayal of my positions. Two weeks later? A blatant hit piece,” she declared.
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Fitness expert Jillian Michaels called out The New York Times on Tuesday for accusing her and other pro-MAHA health influencers of radicalizing Americans against the health care industry. (Paul Archuleta/Getty)
Published on Tuesday, the Times opinion video grouped Michaels with other pro-MAHA influencers and accused them of duping Americans into rejecting traditional medicine.
After the video featured a clip of Michaels saying, “I don’t even take an Advil,” for ominous effect, Times journalist Alexander Stockton said these pro-MAHA figures are “radicalizing” the public.
“But get this: there’s a tight-knit group of wellness influencers who have been radicalizing their followers into believing the health care system is intentionally making people sick,” Stockton said.
As the video flashed more clips of Michaels and other health influencers’ content, Stockton accused them of manipulating Americans already skeptical of the health industry.
“But these influencers frequently exploit the distrust, often using wellness content as a Trojan horse for conspiracy theories,” he said.
The essay featured another clip of Michaels saying, “I don’t think I’ll take an mRNA vaccine ever.”
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President Donald Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. look on during a MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Commission Event in the White House in Washington, DC, on May 22, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
Michaels, a MAHA fan who backs alternative medicines and believes toxic ingredients should be banned by the food industry, defended her views in her Tuesday post, saying there’s merit to her questions about health and food –– especially when she runs them by her doctor.
“For 30 years I’ve said the same thing: every medication and vaccine carries risks and rewards — the smart approach is weighing the cost-benefit with your doctor, not blind acceptance or blind rejection,” she wrote.
As the health guru mentioned, the Times published a profile on Michaels’ views of the health care industry on Aug. 25 that she called “fair.”
“But she also thinks that it’s wrong to medicalize gender transitions for children (adults are fine) and, unlike most authorities on the subject, is concerned vaccines haven’t been studied vigorously enough (though she does not consider herself broadly anti-vax),” the article stated. “She also has faith that both Kennedy and Trump are, for the most part, well-intentioned.”
When the piece dropped, Michaels wrote, “The @nytimes gave me a fair shake. Can’t ask for anything more than that. Thank you to the journalist, Molly Langmuir, who was honest, straightforward, and dedicated to the truth regardless of where it led.”
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Jillian Michaels is a supporter of many of HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s policies. (Getty Images)
Michaels said Tuesday that the outlet should have just consulted its August profile to get a clear picture of her views.
“If they were confused, they could’ve read the piece they themselves just ran on me.”
She then questioned why the Times was attacking her in such a way.
“So why the sudden smear campaign? Desperate to cover what? Why would anyone be so intent on trashing those of us asking why America can’t take its chronic disease crisis seriously and put more focus on prevention?”
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A New York Times spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “This video journalism from New York Times Opinion is a thorough look at the MAHA movement featuring dozens of clips of government officials, media figures and wellness influencers, including Ms. Michaels, using their own words for any viewer to plainly see. Independent journalism like this is built from reporting and fact-checking for audiences to better understand the world around them.”