In a significant development on Friday, environmental organizations have voiced strong criticism against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign and his environmental policy. They argue that his candidacy could inadvertently boost the chances of former President Donald Trump’s re-election.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a prominent climate advocacy group where Kennedy served as a senior attorney for nearly three decades, is orchestrating a campaign against him. The group’s political wing plans to publish a full-page advertisement in newspapers across six key battleground states this Sunday.
A preview of the advertisement, obtained by CNN, reveals the group’s plea for Kennedy to withdraw from the race. They argue that his continued participation could inadvertently aid Trump, whom they label as “the most environmentally destructive president in our nation’s history.”
“We have dedicated our careers to safeguarding the planet and its inhabitants. As current and former leaders and board members of the NRDC Action Fund, and as former colleagues of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., we have a singular message for him: Respect our planet, withdraw from the race,” the advertisement states.
The advertisement is slated to appear in newspapers in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.
In a separate initiative, twelve environmental organizations have written an open letter to voters, cautioning them against Kennedy’s climate proposals. They criticize his stance on climate issues and warn that his candidacy could facilitate Trump’s re-election, leading to “a total reversal of crucial environmental and social progress achieved so far.”
“Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is not an environmentalist. He is a dangerous conspiracy theorist and science denier whose agenda would be catastrophic for our communities and the planet,” the letter states. “He may have once been an environmental attorney, but now RFK Jr. is promoting the term ‘climate change orthodoxy’ and making hollow promises to clean up our environment with superficial proposals. The truth is, by rejecting science, what he offers is no different than Donald Trump.”
The New York Times was the first to report on the environmental groups’ actions. Throughout his presidential campaign, Kennedy has highlighted his past work with the NRDC and other environmental groups, promising to be the “most environmentally conscious president in American history.” He has opposed parts of the Inflation Reduction Act passed during the Biden administration and has criticized Trump for rolling back environmental regulations.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Kennedy argued that environmental organizations are “settling for the meager concessions offered by the Biden administration.” He also refuted the claim that his candidacy would aid Trump in defeating Biden. “President Biden does not need my help to lose to Donald Trump,” Kennedy stated.