Trump accuses RFK Jr. of being a 'Democrat plant' and 'wasted protest vote'
Democratic Party leaders have made parallel claims that RFK Jr. is a spoiler candidate meant to harm their own chances
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former President Donald Trump is speaking out aggressively against independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who he claims is a Democratic Party "plant."
Trump made the accusations on Friday night via his proprietary social media platform, Truth Social.
"RFK Jr. is a Democrat "Plant," a Radical Left Liberal who’s been put in place in order to help Crooked Joe Biden, the Worst President in the History of the United States, get Re-Elected," Trump wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City, New York. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
He continued, "A Vote for Junior’ would essentially be a WASTED PROTEST VOTE, that could swing either way, but would only swing against the Democrats if Republicans knew the true story about him."
Trump hammered Kennedy on his record regarding Second Amendment rights, border security, and more in the rant.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Junior’ is totally Anti-Gun, an Extreme Environmentalist who makes the Green New Scammers look Conservative, a Big Time Taxer and Open Border Advocate, and Anti-Military/Vet[.]"
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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a Cesar Chavez Day event at Union Station in Los Angeles, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Democratic leaders have expressed parallel concerns that RFK Jr's campaign may siphon voters from their own camp, making the independent candidate unpopular with both parties' establishment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Half a dozen Kennedy family members appeared alongside President Biden at an event in Philadelphia to publicly back him over Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is driving Democrats to panic that his independent White House bid could lead to a victory for former President Donald Trump.
"President Biden has been a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncles stood for," RFK Jr's sister, Kerry Kennedy, said during the event, referencing the late former President John F. Kennedy, the late former U.S. Attorney General and New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and the late former Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US President Joe Biden delivers remarks during a campaign event at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Kennedy Family joined him on stage. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Last month, the Democratic National Committee launched an effort to silence the threat to Biden's re-election from third-party candidates, namely Kennedy, in the form of a team that is expected to actively combat them with legal challenges and opposition research.
Since its inception, members of the team post near constant criticism of RFK Jr. on social media, and have frequently referred to him as a "spoiler" candidate. They have also claimed Kennedy is in cahoots with Trump in order to help him win.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.