RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard named to Trump transition team
The Trump campaign confirmed on Tuesday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was running as an independent until he suspended his campaign last week, and Tulsi Gabbard, a former progressive Democrat who backed Trump on Monday, have been named to his transition team.
"As President Trump's broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team," said Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign. "We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team was we work to restore America's greatness."
Kennedy and Gabbard will serve as honorary co-chairs to the transition team.
Trump also appointed his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric, along with running mate Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, to serve as honorary chairs of the team. Linda McMahon, the former head of the Small Business Administration under Trump, and Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, are also co-chairs of the transition.
Kennedy, who had been a lifelong Democrat, told Tucker Carlson on Monday that he had been asked to join the transition team. He appeared with Trump at a splashy event on Friday after he suspended his campaign. He said three issues convinced him to leave the Democratic Party and "to throw my support to President Trump": free speech, the war in Ukraine and what he called the "war on our children."
Trump previously described Kennedy as one of the "most Liberal Lunatics ever to run for office."
Gabbard, who pursued her own presidential run in 2020 as a Democrat, announced on Monday she was backing Trump. The former democratic representative appeared with Trump at Arlington National Cemetery on the 3rd anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport during the evacuation of Afghanistan and later at a campaign stop in Detroit, Michigan.
Gabbard has also been helping Trump prepare for his upcoming debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
The New York Times was first to report Kennedy and Gabbard joining the transition team.