Donald Trump has enlisted former White House contenders Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to join his transition team in the event of a victory in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, as announced by his campaign on Tuesday (August 27, 2024).
Both Mr. Kennedy and Ms. Gabbard come from outside the traditional Republican party support base of former President Trump.
“As President Trump continues to broaden his coalition of supporters from across party lines, we are pleased to have Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard join the Trump/Vance Transition team,” stated Brian Hughes, senior advisor to the Trump campaign.
Mr. Kennedy, aged 70, an environmental attorney, anti-vaccine activist, and a member of a prominent Democratic political family, had initially entered the presidential race as an independent candidate before suspending his campaign and throwing his support behind Mr. Trump. He had initially sought the Democratic nomination before transitioning to an independent candidacy.
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard speaks in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on August 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Former Democratic congresswoman Ms. Gabbard, who had previously run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, left the party in 2022 to become an independent. She has gained popularity among conservatives for her criticisms of Mr. Biden and his administration, often appearing on right-wing media outlets.
In an interview with X posted on Monday, Mr. Kennedy revealed that he had been invited to join Mr. Trump’s transition team in order to assist in selecting key government officials.
Reports suggest that in return for his endorsement, Mr. Kennedy is seeking a role in a potential Trump administration, according to a super PAC supporting him as reported by Reuters last week.
Political analysts are uncertain of the impact of Mr. Kennedy’s endorsement on Mr. Trump’s campaign, which is currently in a close race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Interest in Mr. Kennedy’s candidacy has dwindled over the summer months as Mr. Trump survived an assassination attempt and Mr. Biden handed over the campaign reins to Ms. Harris.
