Robert F. Kennedy Jr, 71, shocks Reagan Airport crowd with 20 pull-ups

At 71, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. surprised travelers with 20 pull-ups as Trump unveils $1B family travel plan.

The Trump administration’s new travel initiative arrived with more drama than anyone expected at Reagan National Airport on Monday. Before officials even got to the microphones, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. walked straight toward a pull-up bar set up near the departures hall. With his shirt hanging loose, he started knocking out pull-ups one after another, drawing a quick crowd of passengers who began counting along. Their voices carried through the terminal as Kennedy pushed through his final reps.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr does 20 pullups(Getty Images via AFP)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr's pull ups go viral

By the time he hit twenty, he dropped to the floor, adjusted his tie and gave a short nod, as if this was all part of the plan. Moments later, former congressman Sean Duffy stepped forward to take his turn, according to Fox News. Airport workers and travelers paused to watch, many pulling out their phones as the unusual scene unfolded.

The clip spread fast across social platforms, turning the launch of a policy event into an unexpected viral moment.

What the $1B program aims to fix

The stunt opened the administration’s new push to “Make Travel Family Friendly Again,” a billion-dollar plan pitched as a way to make peak-season flying a little less chaotic for parents. Duffy talked about kids melting down in security lines, parents hunting for a corner to nurse, and families trying to keep moving during long layovers. He said airports need more spaces that actually match how families travel, not how planners think they do.

According to Fox News, airports can apply for money to build play zones, create family screening lanes at security, add sensory rooms for neurodivergent travelers, and expand nursing pods. Exercise corners for kids made the list too. Duffy sounded confident about the direction. “Bringing about a Golden Age in travel has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier,” he said. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to enacting a Family First agenda and improving the lives of the American people,” he added.

Kennedy’s push for healthier airport food

Kennedy leaned into the health pitch. He talked about people rushing through terminals, eating whatever they can grab, and how airports still treat healthy food like an afterthought. He pointed to Farmer’s Fridge and similar spots as the model he wants more airports to adopt. “Everyone who passes through an airport in this country should have access to fresh, whole foods,” he said. He repeated it later, adding, “Secretary Duffy and I are working to ensure our airports set the standard for a future where healthy eating is part of daily life – travel days included.”

As per Fox News, the billion-dollar effort combines federal funding with private-sector upgrades. The administration wants airports to pitch their own ideas too, as long as they center families. Whether the pull-ups meant anything beyond a flashy warm-up is up for debate, but the message landed: the travel system needs a reset and the White House wants airports to move faster.