RFK Jr. apologizes to Trump for leaked video of phone call
Donald Trump told independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that “we’re gonna win,” pushed conspiracy theories about vaccines and appeared to discuss Kennedy’s future in a recording of their private phone call Monday that surfaced online.
Kennedy met with Trump on Monday, two days after the Republican nominee survived assassination attempt, in a call he previously had said was about “national unity.”
In the one minute and 40-second clip of the call posted on social media, Trump can be heard alluding to Kennedy’s long history as an anti-vaccine advocate. He also appears to suggest that Kennedy should continue work in that arena.
“I want to do small doses,” Trump said. “When you feed a baby a vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines, and it looks like it is good for a horse, not a 10 pound or 20-pound baby... then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically.”
“Anyway, I would love you to do stuff. And I think it would be so good for you and so big for you,” Trump added.
Democratic National Committee communications adviser Lis Smith responded to the video in a statement, arguing that it was proof RFK Jr. is helping Trump's campaign.
"RFK Jr. was recruited to run by MAGA Republicans, his candidacy is funded by MAGA’s biggest donor, and now we learn he’s colluding with MAGA to help Donald Trump win," Smith said. "He has no path to victory in this race and is nothing more than a spoiler for Trump.”
Trump on the call also said his conversation with President Joe Biden after the shooting was “very nice actually.”
“He said, how did you choose to move to the right,” Trump remembered of his call with Biden. He described the feeling of the bullet piercing his ear as akin to “the world’s largest mosquito.”
Kennedy confirmed that authenticity of the video and apologized to former President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“When President Trump called me I was taping with an in-house videographer. I should have ordered the videographer to stop recording immediately,” he wrote Tuesday. “I am mortified that this was posted. I apologize to the president.”
When reached for comment, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung directed USA TODAY to Kennedy's tweet.
Kennedy has rejected reports that he is planning to drop out of the 2024 race to endorse Trump. Biden on Monday authorized Secret Service protection for Kennedy in the wake of Saturday's shooting.
Staff writer David Jackson contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. apologizes to Trump for leaked video of phone call