Trump increasingly makes personal attacks on independent rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Boston Herald

FILE – Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to supporters during a campaign rally April 13, 2024, in West Des Moines, Iowa. Former President Donald Trump is known for constantly and often personally attacking top rivals like Joe Biden. Lately, he’s increasingly adopted the same snarky attitude toward Kennedy Jr. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

By MEG KINNARD (Associated Press)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Donald Trump is known for constantly and often personally attacking top rivals like Joe Biden. Lately, he has increasingly taken the same approach against independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Among the latest taunts, Trump posted a roughly four-minute video online last week in which he called Kennedy a “fake,” a “Democrat ‘plant'” and “a radical left-wing liberal installed to support the Democratic president.” help”. Trump called Kennedy’s family “a bunch of lunatics.”

“He’s not a Republican, so don’t think you’re going to vote for him and feel good,” the former president and presumptive Republican nominee told his supporters in the Truth Social post.

Such blistering attacks on Kennedy may indicate that Trump and his campaign are concerned about the independent’s candidacy in what is expected to be a close November election, where a third-party hopeful siphoning off even a small amount of support will sink one of the main candidates could leave.

Six months after an Election Day in which many Americans expressed dissatisfaction with a rematch between Trump and Biden, Kennedy offers himself as an alternative. Some of the issues Kennedy is focusing on — unwavering support for Israel and criticism of COVID-19 lockdowns — may appeal more to conservative voters than Democrats.

Recent polls show that significantly more Republicans than Democrats have a positive opinion of Kennedy, even though many Americans don’t know who he is. A February poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Republicans, 53%, had a favorable opinion of him, compared with 30% of Democrats. About a quarter each said they didn’t know enough about Kennedy to say.

Kennedy’s campaign argues that he threatens both Trump and Biden, who boasts the support of several members of Kennedy’s own family and calls the endorsement “an incredible honor.” The president has largely ignored Kennedy, who had previously challenged him for the Democratic nomination before launching an independent bid.

Kennedy also lashed out at Trump, challenging him to a debate when both men speak at the Libertarian Party convention later this month – on separate days. Kennedy claims that Trump’s supporters are “vacillating” in their support.

But Kennedy faces major challenges.

As an independent candidate, his name will not automatically appear on the ballot. He had to work to ensure access to ballots in all 50 states, a process Kennedy said will be completed by the summer. His campaign says he has met that goal in five states — California, Delaware, Michigan, Oklahoma and Utah — and has collected enough signatures for eight additional states. In some states, authorities have not verified these numbers.