'Unity ticket': Internet divided as insiders claim Trump's camp made overtures to RFK Jr over VP position

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Some individuals closely associated with Donald Trump have reportedly made early overtures to Robert F Kennedy Jr, gauging his interest in serving as the former president's running mate in the upcoming 2024 presidential race.

Insights from insiders shed light on the behind-the-scenes discussions, revealing that these occurred shortly after Kennedy's official announcement of his presidential candidacy in April 2023.

Will there be a Trump-Kennedy ticket?

"Trump operatives expressed an interest in Kennedy early on, but it was all premature," a source familiar with the matter disclosed to the New York Post. "It was right out of the box when Bobby announced."

The insider added, "Anything’s possible. I wouldn’t write it off by any means."

Kennedy, 70, initially embarked on his presidential journey as a Democrat but has since shifted his affiliation to Independent. Despite the prospect of a cross-party collaboration, Kennedy has consistently rebuffed any speculation about assuming the role of Trump's vice president.

One of Kennedy's major supporters, Timothy Mellon, who has donated at least $5 million to Kennedy's SuperPAC, acknowledged the discussions, saying, "I’ve heard the concept. It’s not surprising."

Another notable donor, with ties to both Trump and Kennedy, insisted that the movement to draft Kennedy into Trump's orbit is still alive within the former president's circles.

"It’s very much behind the scenes at this stage. As we progress, you might see it bubble up a little bit more," the donor anonymously told the Post. "Bobby can bring new people to the polls," they added.

However, the ideological disparities between Kennedy, a well-known anti-vaxxer, and Trump, who played a key role in funding the development of the coronavirus vaccine, have raised eyebrows.

Despite this, Steve Bannon, a former chief White House strategist for Trump and a close associate, has championed the idea. In August, he said that a Trump-Kennedy ticket could produce a "massive landslide."

Social media reactions

Social media responses to the unconventional proposal, however, have been divided. Some fervently supported the idea as a "unity ticket."

"I’ve supported this since day one," one posted on X.

"I’ve only been screaming it from the rooftops for months now. It’s the unity ticket. And it’s the two men who have been attacked by the media and the government more than anyone else," another proposed.

"I think this would be smart. Putting Vivek in as the Chief of Staff to keep Trump focused on the most important tasks would make this ticket unstoppable," another user wrote.

Others expressed reservations, particularly highlighting differences on issues like the Second Amendment and climate change.

"I love RFK’s support of TX and his fight against Pharma, but 2A? Climate? Yikes," a comment read.

"I don't like the idea of RFK Jr. being Trump’s VP. He is a Democrat. Trump thinks by having RFK on the ticket he can reach the more independent voters. I'm not convinced this would be the case," someone else offered.

"No way in heck Trump picks RFK. He’s a Democrat regardless of his anti-vax positions. If he ever assumed the role of President in Trump’s absence that would be a disaster. Don’t do it Trump!" another insisted.

Speculation amid Donald Trump's victories

Amid Donald Trump's resounding victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, speculation surrounding his potential vice-presidential pick has intensified. High-profile names, including businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep Elise Stefanik, Senator Tim Scott, and Senator JD Vance, have been floated.

A recent poll by the Daily Mail positioned Ramaswamy as the leading VP contender, garnering 18 percent support. But James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, cautioned against relying solely on primary polls for the VP selection.

"It will not be primary polls that the Trump team will be looking at when it comes to choosing their VP pick: it will be the general election polls," he told the outlet.

"Though this research shows Vivek Ramaswamy doing well, it is unclear what he adds to the ticket in terms of broadening the Trump-voting coalition. This is why Nikki Haley could still be an outside bet for VP: she wins with independent voters that will be key to crowning the next president come November," he added.

The poll indicated that a third of respondents remained undecided, providing Trump with ample leeway to make his choice. Both Trump and Haley have explicitly ruled out the prospect of running together, though accusations of flip-flopping between the two persist on the campaign trail.

Other potential VP candidates, such as Ben Carson, Tucker Carlson, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kristi Noem, and Kari Lake, each received varying levels of support in the poll. 

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