RFK Jr., Gabbard eye top roles in possible Trump administration

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard are angling for positions in a possible Trump administration, hoping to help spark an anti-establishment surge in Washington post-November. 

The two former Democrats, who have enthusiastically endorsed Trump’s Republican nomination for the White House, want to influence American policy issues ranging from health care and the environment to national security. They jumped on board with the former president after moving rightward following their own quixotic runs — Gabbard’s in 2020 and Kennedy’s in 2024.

Gabbard, a military veteran who served as a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii before retiring, said this week that she would “be honored to serve” under a second Trump term. She told Fox News that she’s hoping for a role working on foreign policy while stumping for him in Georgia. 

Kennedy, meanwhile, wants to help Trump dismantle and rebuild the public health care system and said his former rival has asked him to “be involved in the administration at a high level.”

The two are now headed for Nevada this weekend, hitting a third battleground after Arizona and Georgia, in the hopes that they will elevate Trump’s chances of success with voters in Las Vegas.

The positive expectation-setting from Trump himself has excited Kennedy and Gabbard allies, who see them already helping to form a non-traditional coalition they hope can win less than two months from Election Day. 

“I truly believe [Trump] will keep his word and not hose Kennedy,” said Eric Jackman, a senior adviser for the newly formed Kennedy-aligned Make America Healthy Again PAC, modeled after Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan. 

“He understands he will need much better people around him, should he win. Having experienced hands like Bobby and Tulsi in Trump’s corner is an immense advantage and asset to his campaign and future administration,” he said. 

Jackman, a friend of Gabbard’s who has worked on issues supporting Kennedy this cycle, sees the former independent candidate’s strength now as guiding Trump to reach new audiences, including skeptical voters and independents. 

“It’s been very exciting and encouraging to see how MAGA crowds are responding to Kennedy’s call for cleaning up our food, environment and government,” he said.

Trump has famously attracted non-conformist characters into his orbit, many of whom have right-leaning sympathies. Kennedy and Gabbard’s swift emergence on the Republican scene is the latest extension of that.

The two have bonded over anti-interventionism that also extends to what they perceive as other kinds of excessive government reach. For Gabbard, the military industrial complex is a particular focus, while Kennedy has channeled his advocacy against vaccines and modern science into a war on the nation’s disease crisis.

Kennedy hasn’t explicitly said which position, if any, he would want the most if Trump wins, but those close to him, including his former vice-presidential nominee Nicole Shanahan, have suggested Health and Human Services as a possibility. 

“They are helping to create a bridge for Independents and unhappy Democrats to the Trump campaign,” said Larry Sharpe, a political consultant with knowledge of Kennedy’s campaign.

“Many voters who are unhappy with the establishment have hope that both RFK and Gabbard will be able to make changes,” Sharpe said. 

Like others in Kennedy’s orbit, he suggested there’s a suitable place for them ahead of a possible government change-over, when Trump would theoretically usher in his own bench.  

“Many hope that they both are on the transition team so they can make many changes to permanent Washington,” he said.

The Hill reported earlier this month that nominating Kennedy for any Cabinet position would likely come with inherent challenges, especially tough battles for confirmation in the Senate if Democrats hold onto the upper chamber. 

Some Democratic strategists see the chances that either politician would make it to Washington as increasingly unlikely, given the fickle nature of Trump’s promises and personal alliances. There’s a growing disbelief among liberals that he would stay true to his word and offer top positions to the two ex-candidates. 

“I don’t think it takes an advanced degree in psychology to observe that when it comes to Donald Trump loyalty is a one-way street. And his word is about as valuable as one of his bankrupt casinos,” said Doug Gordon, a Democratic strategist. 

“The most likely outcome here is that Tulsi and RFK are simply the latest examples of people becoming useful idiots for Trump with nothing to show for it,” Gordon said.

Kennedy and Gabbard have also faced scrutiny since taking on roles on the campaign. Ahead of the debate between Trump and Vice President Harris, the former president’s campaign commissioned Gabbard to prepare him with a mock performance, something that drew negative attention after the former president’s rocky debate.

Gabbard delivered what supporters considered to be a blow to Harris in 2019, early into the last presidential campaign cycle, when both candidates competed in a debate in Michigan. Gabbard challenged Harris on her criminal justice record and was seen as putting Harris, a former prosecutor and California’s top cop as attorney general, on her toes at the time. 

She’s since taken an even more adversarial posture towards Harris while promoting Trump’s candidacy.

“President Trump did in his last administration what President Obama refused to do, what President Biden refused to do, what Kamala Harris has made clear she refuses to do — which is to go out and do that tough work that a president and commander in chief has to do in diplomacy,” Gabbard told Fox News, where she is a frequent guest. 

Trump’s debate performance, while widely perceived as poor, has seemingly done little to move the needle ahead of November. New polls released over the past few days show a close, if not statistically tied, race in almost all of the important swing states. 

Kennedy’s Democratic name also doesn’t appear to be hurting Trump. Post-endorsement, he has stayed within the margin of error against Harris. 

One Trump ally argued Kennedy is especially valuable because he has a built-in following and is the type of add-on who can single-handedly draw a crowd and media attention. He also follows the same adage as Trump that all press is good press. 

“This is another interesting thing that the Trump team has going for them that I don’t think Team Kamala has going for them: Multiple people who can draw earned media,” the ally to the former president said.

“RFK is going to be on the trail. It wasn’t just an endorsement,” the source said. 

Brett Samuels contributed reporting.