RFK Jr recalls time Trump drew a detailed Middle East map: 'He has extraordinary depth of knowledge'

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS: Robert F Kennedy Jr, on Saturday, March 28, praised President Donald Trump for having an "extraordinary depth of knowledge" and "encyclopaedic molecular knowledge" on many subjects.

While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Grapevine, Texas, the HHS secretary shared a personal story about a flight where Trump used a Sharpie and a placemat to draw a "perfect map of the Middle East" with detailed troop strengths for every country. 

RFK Jr recalls Middle East map moment from 2024 campaign 

Robert F Kennedy recalled a specific moment from the 2024 presidential campaign when he was sitting across from Donald Trump on an airplane. He mentioned that as they were eating at McDonald's, the conversation shifted toward the conflict in Syria. 

RFK Jr explained that Trump suddenly "grabbed a placemat, and he turned it on its back, and then he took a Sharpie, and he drew a perfect map of the Middle East." 

He didn't just stop at that, as the HHS secretary noted that the presdient then "put the troops strength of every country on every border on that map." 

RFK Jr admitted that seeing this level of detail in person "challenged a lot of the assumptions" he had previously held about Trump’s capabilities. "He has this extraordinary depth of knowledge," he added. 

RFK Jr says Trump has 'very, very eclectic interests'

Beyond foreign policy, RFK Jr described Trump as someone who "has an encyclopedic molecular knowledge on these, this wide range of very, very eclectic interests" ranging from "music, Broadway shows, pro wrestling, football, every sport, golf, and, you know, business, and Wall Street."

He explained that Trump is a natural storyteller who can go through these subjects "one after the other" with ease.

The 72-year-old was particularly struck by the commander-in-chief's memory for financial history and personal success stories. "He knows how everybody made their money and what deals they made," RFK Jr shared, crediting Trump with having a natural "instinct for making good choices," fueled by this vast store of information on how individuals and industries operate.

RFK Jr compares Trump to Kennedy legacy

The praise culminated in a comparison between Trump and RFK Jr's own family members.

RFK Jr stated that he believed his uncle, John F Kennedy, "understood the use of power better than any president who preceded him." However, he suggested that Trump may have surpassed that standard in the modern era.

He concluded by stating that "Donald Trump understands the use of power better than, probably, any president that we've had — at least since Roosevelt and maybe in American history."