Former Trump official Tricia McLaughlin and Bryan Lanza, the former Deputy Communications Director of Trump’s 2016 campaign, hit back Friday evening at CNN panelists for labeling 2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a “conspiracy theorist.”
Kennedy joined forces with Trump at a Friday campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona after suspending his campaign and endorsing the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. CNN’s Abby Phillip mentioned that Trump, who was shot in the ear in July, said Trump promised Kennedy a “commission on assassinations” in exchange for his support.
Phillip called Kennedy a “conspiracy theorist” for believing the government was behind the 1963 assassination of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy. McLaughlin criticized the CNN host for going further and evoking a headline from The Atlantic alleging RFK Jr. is a former drug dealer.
“Are we going to really re-litigate from 30 years ago if RFK was a drug dealer? Its just — what really gets to me, Abby, you know, people throw around this word ‘conspiracy theory.’ I remember in October of 2023, people saying, ‘It’s a Republican conspiracy theory that Joe Biden will not be on the ticket. He would not be the nominee.’ Turns out that conspiracy theory that was Republicans apparently came true,” McLaughlin said.
President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place on the Democratic ticket. Biden’s withdrawal came after weeks of pressure privately placed on the president by top Democrats, according to reports.
“When we throw this word around, it really kind of takes credibility away from the people who were talking about, especially — there are real conspiracy theories out there,” McLaughlin told the CNN panel. (RELATED: Donald Trump Says RFK Jr. ‘Probably Would’ Have A Role In His Administration)
Democratic strategist Keith Boykin piped up among chattering CNN panelists reacting to McLaughlin, and questioned how Kennedy could endorse “someone antithetical” to his environmentalist views. McLaughlin told Boykin that Trump is expanding his coalition of supporters.
“I find this whole thing laughable,” Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Solomon Jones chimed in. “He was at 2 percent nationally. He might get some votes in some swing states. He was an alternative when Biden was running against Trump and people didn’t want to vote between two old guys who they didn’t like.”
Lanza challenged Jones by saying Kennedy brings an “outsider approach” back to the Trump campaign.
“RFK is very much an outsider to the political system,” Lanza said. “You may wanna say he wasn’t kicked out. I’m saying being excluded from the Democratic primary kicks you out of the Democratic Party.”
Jones said it is “preposterous” to call Kennedy an outsider because of his high-profile family name.
“The only reason why we take him seriously is because his last name is Kennedy! That’s the only reason!” Jones shouted.