Trump Calls Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A ‘Fake Anti-Vaxxer,’ His Vaccine Views ‘Politically Calculated’

Former President Donald Trump is attacking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s stance on the Covid-19 vaccine in an apparent attempt to divert voters from his independent presidential campaign. 

Trump’s stance on the Covid vaccine has shifted from supporting vaccination to anti-vaccination in recent months. The former president claims he will “not give one penny” to schools that require Covid-19 vaccines. However, Trump also boasted about his program to develop the vaccine, Operation Warp Speed, during the pandemic, calling it “one of the greatest miracles” of his time in office.

Political analysts say that Trump’s statements are politically calculated to counter the threat that he views from Kennedy. 

Trump seems to be retracting his support for Covid vaccines after Kennedy has been attracting anti-vax voters to his campaign. Trump has reprimanded voters “who want to vote [for Kennedy] because you think he’s an anti-vaxxer.”

Trump has yet to provide a coherent view on the Covid vaccine. His push for the development of the vaccine during his presidency caused the support of some libertarian Republicans to wane. It may serve as a liability in the upcoming election as voters flock to Kennedy for his anti-vax rhetoric.

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk addressed the issue on his show in March. “Donald Trump taking credit for the vaccine—if RFK wasn’t in the race, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But you have to understand that there are millions of voters that look at the vaccine issue as a highly personal issue. With RFK on the ballot, you cannot dismiss this coalition,” he said.

Several political commentators, including Kennedy’s campaign, have accused Trump of “trying to get back an audience that’s leaving him,” Kennedy’s communications director, Del Bigtree, told Politico recently. 

“We have a candidate that has a history of telling people the truth, fighting for individuals, always standing up against the system, even when it’s not pleasant, even when it’s not the easy thing to do, who never backs down from what he believes in,” Bigtree said about Kennedy. “And I think when people look at Donald Trump, they don’t see a person that represents that.”