Trump adds ex-Democrats Gabbard and RFK Jr to his transition team

The Trump marketing campaign stated Ms Gabbard and Mr Kennedy would function honorary transition group co-chairs, together with Trump’s sons and working mate JD Vance.

Presidential transition groups kick into motion when a candidate is elected. They assist choose political appointees and set priorities for the incoming administration.

Trump senior advisor Brian Hughes stated that the endorsements of the 2 former Democrats present how the marketing campaign was incomes assist “throughout partisan strains”.

“We stay up for having their highly effective voices on the group as we work to revive America’s greatness,” he stated in a press release.

On Monday, Trump welcomed Ms Gabbard, 43, to a stage in Detroit, in the important thing swing state of Michigan.

Ms Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress from 2013 to 2021, give up the Democratic Get together in 2022, complaining of its “wokeness”.

She appeared alongside Trump to commemorate US service personnel killed in an assault in Afghanistan three years prior, utilizing it as a chance to criticise the Biden administration.

13 US service members and greater than 100 Afghans had been killed through the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport in Kabul.

The incident occurred as American troops made a chaotic withdrawal from the nation, and the Taliban returned to energy.

Ms Gabbard made frequent criticisms of US navy interventionism throughout her time in Congress.

Showing at Monday’s occasion in Michigan, Ms Gabbard stated she was interesting to Democrats, Republicans and independents alike to select Trump on the poll field in November – saying it was a matter of “saving our nation and serving the folks”.

Her official backing of Trump marks the end result of a outstanding political journey during the last decade that started on the progressive left of the Democratic Get together.

She was the primary Hindu member of the US Congress, occurring to function vice-chairwoman of the Democratic Nationwide Committee – earlier than resigning to endorse the 2016 presidential marketing campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders.

When Ms Gabbard ran for president in 2020, she championed liberal points like government-run healthcare, free faculty tuition and gun management.

However Joe Biden turned the Democratic nominee that yr, and went on to win the presidency. Ms Gabbard endorsed him, however give up the social gathering two years later.

She has since staked out conservative views on points together with abortion and transgender rights, and has change into an everyday and outspoken visitor on Fox Information. She has additionally been accused of spreading “selling Russian propaganda” by officers in Ukraine.

By early 2024, she was singing the praises of Mr Biden’s rival, Trump, who will this time compete for the White Home in opposition to Ms Harris.

Within the subsequent months, it was even speculated that Ms Gabbard could possibly be within the body as Trump’s potential working mate for November – a job that in the end went to Mr Vance.