'Trojan horse for Trump campaign': Internet slams RFK Jr as he gets $5M from mega-donor Timothy Mellon

WASHINGTON, DC: Billionaire mega-donor Timothy Mellon, known for his substantial financial support of former President Donald Trump, was recently revealed through campaign finance filings to have donated $5 million to Robert F Kennedy Jr in April.

This significant contribution adds to the growing speculation that Mellon’s backing of Kennedy as an independent candidate might be a strategic move to divert votes from President Joe Biden, as per The Daily Beast.

Robert F Kennedy Jr receives $5 million from Timothy Mellon

Mellon’s latest donation to American Values 2024, a super PAC supporting Kennedy, follows a previous $20 million contribution to the same PAC and $15 million to the Trump-affiliated Make America Great Again Inc.

Kennedy, a candidate with a famous last name, has been polling well among young voters and Latinos, demographics traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party. This support has raised concerns that his candidacy might erode Biden's voter base.

However, Kennedy’s right-wing positions and favorable coverage in conservative media also suggest he could attract Republican voters. Recent polls indicated that both Biden and Trump lost a similar percentage of support when Kennedy was on the ballot, though the overall impact of his candidacy remains uncertain.

Mellon, 81, is the heir to a banking and industrial fortune estimated at over $14 billion by Forbes. A resident of Wyoming, he has a history of funding various causes across the United States, including a substantial investment in a proposed border wall in Texas in 2021.

Mellon’s political donations exceeded $150 million in recent years, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Despite his significant financial influence, Mellon remains a reclusive figure with unclear motivations.

In addition to Mellon's support, Kennedy’s campaign received substantial financial backing from his vice presidential pick, Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy tech lawyer from California.

Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, contributed approximately $8 million to Kennedy's campaign in April, following a $2 million donation in March. She has also donated $4 million to the American Values 2024 PAC.

Robert F Kennedy Jr faces backlash in wake of donation by Timothy Mellon

The online reaction to Mellon's latest donation was swift and critical as social media users quickly denounced Kennedy. One X user stated, "Trump’s largest donor emptying his wallet to help @RobertKennedyJr's candidacy tells us everything we need to know. MAGA Republicans are hellbent on propping up RFK Jr to be a spoiler for Trump. This is even more proof that a vote for RFK Jr. is a vote for Trump."

Another remarked, "There’s no hiding it: Robert F Kennedy Jr is a Trojan horse for the Trump campaign. If you don’t believe us, take a look at all of the MAGA donors paying for Kennedy Jr’s anti-abortion, pro-conspiracy theory ticket."

A third user expressed, "Wow. Trump's top donor has now shoveled $25,000,000 into RFK Jr's Super PAC. Money talks: RFK Jr is in the race to help Trump." A fourth user speculated, "Trump world wants RFK Jr in the race for one reason: to make sure Trump wins in November."

A fifth user offered a straightforward assessment, stating, "This is all you need to know to show RFK jr is a right-winger." Lastly, one user on X drew a direct comparison, saying, "@RobertKennedyJr = @realDonaldTrump. They're the one in the same."

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.