Tricia McLaughlin, a former senior Trump administration official, and Brian Lanza, who served as deputy communications director for Trump's 2016 campaign, blasted CNN panelists on Friday night for calling independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a “conspiracy theorist.”
Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed the 2024 Republican presidential nominee before teaming up with Trump at a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday. CNN's Abby Phillips reported that Trump, who was shot in the ear in July, said he had promised Kennedy an “assassination commission” in exchange for his support for Kennedy.
Philippe called Kennedy a “conspiracy theorist” for believing the government was behind the assassination of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. McLaughlin criticized the CNN host for going further, citing an Atlantic magazine headline that said RFK Jr. was a former drug dealer.
“If RFK was a drug dealer, are we really going to re-run a trial from 30 years ago? What really bothers me, Abby, is how people are overusing this word 'conspiracy theory.' I remember in October of 2023, people were saying, 'It's a Republican conspiracy theory that Joe Biden isn't going to run. He's not going to be the nominee.' And it turns out, the Republican conspiracy theory apparently came true,” McLaughlin said.
President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid on July 21 and nominated Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Biden's withdrawal reportedly came after weeks of Democratic Party leaders privately pressuring the president.
“When you say that phrase, it really destroys the credibility of the people who are saying it, especially when there are real conspiracy theories out there,” McLaughlin told the CNN panel. (Related: Donald Trump says RFK Jr. will “probably” play a role in his administration)
Democratic strategist Keith Boykin joined the CNN panel's chatter in response to McLaughlin, questioning whether Kennedy could support “someone who disagrees” with his environmentalist views. McLaughlin told Boykin that Trump is expanding his coalition of supporters.
“This is a laughing matter,” Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Solomon Jones chimed in. “He had 2% approval rating nationally. He might pick up some votes in battleground states. When Biden was running against Trump, people didn't want to vote between two old guys they didn't like, and he was the alternative.”
Lanza fired back at Jones, saying Kennedy was bringing an “outsider approach” to the Trump campaign.
“RFK is a total outsider to the political system,” Lanza said. “You might say he wasn't pushed out. His removal from the Democratic primary means he was pushed out of the Democratic Party.”
Jones said it was “absurd” to call Kennedy an outsider because of his famous surname.
“The only reason we take him seriously is because his last name is Kennedy! That's it!” Jones exclaimed.
