Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rules out 2028 presidential bid and reaffirms loyalty to President Donald Trump
Kennedy praised Trump's efforts to end war conflicts, protect free speech, rebuild American industry and the middle class, ensure scientific transparency, and break the grip of entrenched interests.
President Donald Trump next to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (File)
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday that he will not run for president in the 2028 election, ending speculation spurred by recent statements from Laura Loomer, an activist close to MAGA.
In a post on his X account, Kennedy reaffirmed his commitment to President Donald Trump and his administration's agenda, focused on efforts to "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA).
The swamp is in full panic mode. DC lobby shops are laboring fiercely to drive a wedge between President Trump and me, hoping to thwart our team from dismantling the status quo and advancing @POTUS’ Make America Healthy Again agenda. They’re pushing the flat-out lie that I’m…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) August 15, 2025
“Let me be clear: I am not running for president in 2028. My loyalty is to President Trump and the mission we’ve started.” Kennedy wrote responding directly to what he described as a disinformation campaign orchestrated by “DC lobby shops.”
According to Kennedy, these forces are seeking “to drive a wedge” between him and Trump to hinder his team's efforts to dismantle the status quo and advance the president's policies.
Kennedy also came out in defense of his team, particularly Stefanie Spear, whom he described as “a fierce, loyal warrior” who works tirelessly to advance the vision of a healthier America. The attacks directed against Spear and other members of her staff, according to Kennedy, are evidence that her work is having a significant impact. “We’ll keep moving forward, we’ll keep delivering wins, and no smear campaign will stop us.” he said.
In his release, Kennedy praised the accomplishments of the Trump Administration, noting that the president is delivering on promises that exceed his "wildest dreams." Among the items mentioned, Kennedy highlighted Trump's efforts to end war conflicts, protect free speech, rebuild American industry and the American middle class, ensure scientific transparency and break the grip of entrenched interests.
“The president has made himself the answer to my 20-year prayer that God would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic — and that’s exactly what my team and I will do until the day he leaves office,” he assured.
Laura Loomer v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his secretary
In the Playbook Podcast from Politico on Wednesday, hosted by Adam Wren and Dasha Burns, Loomer questioned Kennedy's influence in the Trump administration and cast doubt on his commitment to the president's agenda.
Loomer has now turned his attention to HHS, alleging that Kennedy's personnel decisions and actions could be setting the stage for a presidential run in 2028.
Loomer's main target is Stefanie Spear, who has been a key figure in Kennedy's entourage for more than a decade, from executive assistant to press secretary for his 2024 presidential campaign. Loomer stated on the Playbook Podcast, “I think that there’s a clear intention by Stefanie Spear to utilize her position to try to lay the groundwork for a 2028 RFK presidential run."
According to Loomer, Spear, in her role as senior advisor and deputy chief of staff at HHS, would be maneuvering to position Kennedy for a future presidential run, which she interprets as a betrayal of the loyalty owed to Trump. Loomer cited “sources in HHS,” to back up her accusation, though she did not provide specifics about these sources.
The activist also expressed concerns about personnel decisions within HHS, suggesting that Kennedy and Spear have hired individuals who are not aligned with the principles of the MAGA movement. “I’m not naive enough to think that the president is going to get rid of RFK, but I will say that … there are concerns about some of the staffing decisions over at HHS,” Loomer stated in the podcast.
Loomer's criticism of Kennedy is not new. Since May, she has used her X account to question Kennedy's Democratic past and his environmental activism. In X posts, Loomer called him a "Marxist" and accused Spear of not going along with President Donald Trump's decisions because of her background as a co-founder of EcoWatch, an environmental media outlet.
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