Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Friday he is not running for president in 2028, denying speculation amid attacks from right-wing activist Laura Loomer.
“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 said in a post on the social platform X.
There has been speculation, stoked by moves made by Kennedy’s Super PAC and from Loomer, that Kennedy is eyeing another run at the White House.
Kennedy launched a 2024 presidential bid as a Democrat, then later became an independent before dropping out and endorsing Trump, who wanted to take advantage of Kennedy’s sizeable following among the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement.
Kennedy in the social media post claimed his focus remains on the key MAHA priority of ending the chronic disease epidemic.
“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,” Kennedy wrote.
Kennedy defended his top aide Stefanie Spear, who has been targeted by Loomer, over her seeming disloyalty to Trump.
Loomer has successfully ousted several administration officials over allegations of insufficient loyalty to Trump. She recently turned her sights on Spear, who Loomer said was helping lay the groundwork for Kennedy to run in 2028.
Like Kennedy, Spear was an environmentally focused Democrat before joining Trump’s coalition in 2024. Spear worked with Kennedy at his anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, and served as Kennedy’s press secretary during his failed 2024 campaign.
MAGA loyalists have reportedly been suspicious of Spear’s influence ever since Kennedy was tapped to lead HHS.
Tony Lyons, leader of the Kennedy-supporting MAHA PAC, told The Hill Kennedy never intended to run for president in 2028.
Lyons reportedly led an organizing call with Kennedy supporters last month.
“The story that Secretary Kennedy was running for president was a made up story. There’s no truth to it whatsoever,” Lyons said in a text.
“Secretary Kennedy never gave any indication that he was planning to run for president. He prayed for 20 years to have the opportunity that President Trump has given him. He is disrupting an entrenched and deeply corrupt system that has allowed a small group of companies to make incredible profits from products that make Americans sick. Those companies are spending millions to attack Secretary Kennedy and his incredible team to protect their ill-gotten gains,” Lyons said.
Rachel Frazin contributed.
This story was updated at 3:28 p.m.
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