Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s voice has been described as raspy, strained, and breathy. He has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called spasmodic dysphonia, which causes involuntary spasms of the muscles that open or close the vocal folds. This results in a voice that presents with breaks and a strained/strangled quality. There is no cure for the condition, but patients can undergo speech therapy or counseling. Kennedy has stated that his vocal cords are very strong, but the neurological signals that are being sent are telling them to tighten up all the time, which makes his voice gravelly. Despite not liking the way his voice sounds, he has said that his voice actually gets stronger when he uses it, and he can talk for 20 hours a day without it wearing out.