RFK Jr. continues to promote JFK-style Super Bowl ad despite denouncing, apologizing to family
The Super Bowl ad, created by his super PAC, uses imagery and audio from the campaign of former President John F. Kennedy
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is continuing to promote an ad made by his super PAC that he previously disavowed.
RFK previously apologized to members of his family for a surprise Super Bowl ad that heavily borrowed imagery and sound from campaign ads for his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.
Despite claiming no involvement in the $7 million advertisement and publicly disavowing its use of JFK's creative assets and likeness, a video of the ad remains pinned to RFK's profile on social media platform X.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RFK APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY OVER SUPER BOWL AD, CLAIMS HE HAD NO INVOLVEMENT
Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at Legends Event Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
"Our momentum is growing. It’s time for an Independent President to heal the divide in our country," the prominently displayed post reads. It is still the pinned post on his profile as of Tuesday.
RFK Jr.'s cousin, Bobby Shriver, first complained about the ad in a post Sunday night, writing that his uncles and mother would never have approved of RFK Jr.'s "deadly health care views."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My cousin’s Super Bowl ad used our uncle’s faces- and my Mother’s. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA. She strongly supported my health care work … which he opposes," Shriver wrote.
RFK JR DROPS SURPRISE CAMPAIGN AD DURING SUPER BOWL: 'VOTE INDEPENDENT'
"Bobby. I’m so sorry if that advertisement caused you pain. The ad was created and aired by the American Values Superpac without any involvement or approvals from my campaign. Federal rules prohibit Superpacs from consulting with me or my staff. I send you and your family my sincerest apologies. God bless you," RFK Jr. replied.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RFK Jr. followed up the statement with a more general apology to any of his family members who were hurt by the ad, stating once again that "FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff."
Google Trends showed searches for RFK Jr. skyrocketing after the ad aired.
The ad remains at the time of this publication. (RFK Jr. Campaign)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The ad comes after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday accused RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign of illegally coordinating with American Values 2024.
The DNC filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), alleging that Kennedy’s campaign received $15 million worth of unlawful in-kind contributions from the super PAC to help him secure ballot access as an independent candidate in several states.
A Kennedy campaign spokesperson told Fox the allegations were a "nonissue being raised by a partisan political entity that seems to be increasingly concerned with its own candidate and viability."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.