If Donald Trump is successful in the US presidential election in November, his campaign has announced that both Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard, former White House contenders, will be part of his transition team. Both Kennedy and Gabbard are not traditionally associated with the Republican party, which is where most of Trump’s support lies.
Trumps’s camp is excited about the widened range of supporters as they cross partisan lines, says Brian Hughes, Trump’s campaign senior adviser. They have warmly welcomed Kennedy and Gabbard to Trump/Vance transition team.
Kennedy, aged 70, who comes from a prominent Democratic political family, is an environmental attorney and anti-vaccine advocate. He initially entered the presidential race as a contender against Joe Biden from the Democratic side, switched to independent later and endorsed Trump after suspending his campaign last week.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, vied for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but was unsuccessful. Swept by increasing criticism for the Biden administration, she chose to leave the party in 2022 for an independent stance. Her popularity has subsequently grown amongst conservative supporters, often featuring as a guest on right-wing media platforms.
In a recent discussion with ex-Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, Kennedy stated that he had been asked to join Trump’s transition team and help to select those who will govern. An insider revealed that he hopes this endorsement of Trump will secure him a position in a potential Trump administration.
How Kennedy’s endorsement will aid Trump, who is in intense competition with Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris, remains to be seen by strategists. In recent months, voters’ interest in Kennedy has diminished, especially as Trump overcame an assassination attempt, and Biden handed over the reins to Harris.