Former President Donald J. Trump is ramping up his attacks on independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as new polls reveal a potential overlap in their core supporters.
In a fiery series of posts on his Truth Social media platform, Mr. Trump targeted Mr. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, a prominent Silicon Valley lawyer and investor. Accusing Mr. Kennedy of being a “Democrat ‘Plant'” and a tool to help President Joe Biden get re-elected, Mr. Trump labeled him as a “Radical Left Liberal.”
Mr. Trump’s aggressive stance comes after considering Mr. Kennedy as a potential running mate, but now he is warning Republicans that a vote for Mr. Kennedy would be a “WASTED PROTEST VOTE” that could ultimately benefit the Democrats.
In response, Mr. Kennedy fired back on social media, criticizing Mr. Trump for his “barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims.” He challenged the former president to a respectful debate to defend his record.
Mr. Trump also took aim at Ms. Shanahan, calling her the “V.P. Candidate that nobody ever heard of” and questioning her business credentials, suggesting she is only a “Pot of Cash” to boost Mr. Kennedy’s candidacy.
Recent polls have shown an interesting dynamic between Mr. Trump, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Biden, with some indicating that Mr. Kennedy’s supporters could sway the election in favor of Mr. Trump. However, other polls suggest that Mr. Biden performs better in multicandidate races featuring Mr. Kennedy.
As the political landscape continues to shift, the clash between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kennedy is heating up, setting the stage for a potentially contentious election season.