STATEMENT

Posted January 12th, 2026

STATEMENT

As a citizen of the United States, I hereby bring to the attention of the competent national authorities the serious matter in which an official of a governmental body of an allied country, Dr. Matteo Bassetti, has publicly declared his intention to initiate legal proceedings against me within the Italian judicial system. This intention stems from my exercise, on the platform X, of my right to reply to public statements made by the same Dr. Bassetti, which I considered damaging to the honor and reputation of the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the current Administration.

My intervention was conducted in full compliance with the principles of fair comment and freedom of opinion, as guaranteed by democratic constitutions and international treaties.

Given the public nature of the parties involved – an official of an Italian governmental body on one side, and a high-ranking official of the United States government on the other – and the direct involvement of a U.S. citizen, I expect that U.S. consular and diplomatic authorities will fulfill their institutional duty by closely monitoring any foreign judicial proceedings initiated abroad against one of their nationals for acts pertaining to the defense of the reputation of a member of the U.S. Executive Branch.

Heather Parisi