Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be making the first steps toward a 2028 presidential run.
Axios reported Wednesday that Kennedy’s super PAC hosted an online event last week, with two sources telling the publication that while another presidential bid wasn’t openly discussed it felt like the current Health and Human Services secretary was testing the waters.
The call attracted hundreds of supporters and influencers that are part of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement.
Among them – comedian Russell Brand – who has attached himself to the MAHA movement after becoming sober. Brand pleaded not guilty to rape charges in May in the United Kingdom.
Leading the call were MAHA PAC leader Tony Lyons, vaccine skeptic Robert Malone and Stefanie Spear, who ran communications for Kennedy’s 2024 campaign, Axios said.
The call was organized by Lyons’ non-profit, MAHA Action, with sources telling the publication that Lyons’ involvement signaled the PAC would again support Kennedy, should he give a White House run another go.
Lyons did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Kennedy stepping into campaign mode could ruffle feathers with President Donald Trump, who – with his large campaign coffers – is positioning himself as kingmaker for any future Republican hopefuls.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a Make America Healthy Again roundtable on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. A call that included the head of his super PAC stoked speculation that he could mount another White House bid in 2028
When Kennedy announced his presidential ambitions in April 2023, he ran as a Democrat, the party of his famous political family.
In October 2023, when it was clear he wouldn’t win a Democratic primary against President Joe Biden, he launched an independent presidential run instead.
After Trump was nearly assassinated on July 13, 2024, Kennedy and the then Republican nominee started having conversations about joining forces.
Trump said he would embrace Kennedy’s MAHA movement, Kennedy in turn would endorse him.
That happened the day after the Democratic National Convention wrapped up in August 2024, taking some wind out of Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris’ sails.
The Trump-Kennedy coalition helped Trump win all seven swing states on Election Day.
Trump named Kennedy as his HHS head nine days later.
Since taking over HHS, Kennedy has shrunk the size of the federal agency, canceled billions in grants to universities and public health departments and changed COVID vaccine regulations.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is photographed on the campaign trail in October 2023, when he announced that he would no longer seek the Democratic presidential nomination and run for the White House as an independent instead
Daily Mail’s July poll conducted by J.L. Partners found that Kennedy’s approval rating ran in the middle of the pack compared to other prominent political figures.
Trump had higher favorables than Kennedy – with 26 percent holding a very favorable view of the president and 18 percent holding a somewhat favorable view.
But Trump’s cumulative negative rating stood at 51 percent.
With Kennedy, 16 percent held a very favorable view of the HHS secretary while another 25 percent viewed him somewhat favorably.
Forty-six percent viewed Kennedy unfavorably, in a poll with a plus or minus 3.1 percent margin of error.
