WASHINGTON — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched some of his most pointed attacks of the campaign against former President Donald Trump on Friday, as both Kennedy and the presumptive GOP nominee seek to make inroads with libertarian voters.
Kennedy, 70, had largely steered clear of directly criticizing Trump, saving his harshest rhetoric for President Biden — even as Trump attacked RFK Jr. as a “radical” and a “Democrat Plant” who would ensure Biden’s re-election Nov. 5 by taking votes from the GOP standard-bearer.
But RFK Jr. took the gloves off when addressing delegates to the Libertarian Party’s national convention at the Washington Hilton.
“President Trump allowed his health regulators to mandate science-free social distancing,” Kennedy said, accusing the 45th president of doing nothing during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect freedoms of speech, assembly and worship from “the greatest restriction on civil liberties this country has ever known.”
Kennedy also criticized Trump for failing to intervene during his term of office on behalf of both WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whom Kennedy described as a “hero,” and former National Security Agency contractor and anti-surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden.
“On my first day in office, I’m going to pardon Edward Snowden, and I’m going to drop charges, all charges for Julian Assange,” the independent said, triggering shouts of “Free Assange!” from the audience.
Trump is scheduled to address delegates Saturday night, though his speech is expected to be disrupted by protesters who will call for the former president to debate RFK Jr. one-on-one.
Biden and Trump have agreed to a pair of head-to-head debates to be held June 27 and Sept. 10. Under terms set by the incumbent’s campaign, no third-party candidates will be allowed to take part.
Trump said earlier this month he would debate Kennedy, whom he called a “sharper” and “more intelligent” version of Biden.
During his speech, RFK Jr. taunted Trump over the debate, saying he hoped the former president gets the “courage” to talk about the issues.
Trump’s team unleashed its own attack on Kennedy at the convention before the independent took the stage, ordering a mobile billboard to drive around the Hilton and displaying attack ads calling Kennedy a “radical” and highlighting his left-wing policy prescriptions.
