Trump Blasts RFK. Jr. And Nicole Shanahan, But Says His 'Radical ...

28 Mar 2024

Forbes

Topline

Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Wednesday to attack Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his newly announced running mate Nicole Shanahan, calling him “the most Radical Left Candidate” in the 2024 election, amid renewed concerns that the independent could pull voters from the former president.

The former president ended Wednesday’s post by saying Kennedy is “Crooked Joe Biden’s Political ... [+] Opponent, not mine.”

Getty Images Key Facts

Trump went on to say Shanahan, who Kennedy announced as his running mate Tuesday, is “even more ‘Liberal’ than him, if that’s possible.”

The former president suggested the duo could “be indicted any day now, probably for Environmental Fraud,” though he did not explain the reasoning and there have been no indications from authorities that this is the case—Kennedy previously worked as an environmental lawyer and Shanahan is a tech lawyer and philanthropist, who has said she agrees with Kennedy’s stances on environmental health.

Trump ended the post by saying Kennedy is “Crooked Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, not mine,” adding “I love that he is running!”

Wednesday’s post is a sharp contrast to a previous remark the former president has made about Kennedy, who he reportedly called “a very smart person” in an interview on Fox News last July, according to multiple outlets.

Representatives for Kennedy and Trump did not immediately respond to Forbes’ requests for comment.

Crucial Quote

“RFK Jr. is the most Radical Left Candidate in the race, by far,” Trump said. “He’s a big fan of the Green New Scam, and other economy killing disasters. I guess this would mean he is going to be taking votes from Crooked Joe Biden, which would be a great service to America.”

Key Background

Kennedy entered the 2024 race as a Democratic candidate last April, but switched to an independent bid in October. His long-shot campaign has been viewed as more of a threat to President Joe Biden’s re-election bid—but Trump’s team was reportedly anxious ahead of Kennedy’s independent bid announcement about the votes that could be taken from the former president. While Trump has rarely publicly spoken about Kennedy, his son, Donald Trump Jr., attacked him in October, saying his Democratic bid was a “Democrat plant” to hurt his father’s campaign. Reports swirled in January that Trump was eyeing Kennedy as his own pick for vice president, but Kennedy said he wouldn’t join Trump’s bid and the former president’s campaign denied the claims.

Tangent

In a Tuesday Truth Social post, the former president endorsed a $60 “God Bless the USA” Bible in a partnership with singer Lee Greenwood, which features lyrics from Greenwood’s 1984 hit song of the same name and text from the Pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.