RFK Jr – live: Musk reveals Twitter revenue down by half as he hosts anti-vax 2024 White House hopeful

Robert F Kennedy Jr has long-held, and promoted, anti-vaccine beliefs

Robert F Kennedy Jr launches 2024 campaign

Democrat presidential candidate and notable anti-vaccine advocate Robert F Kennedy Jr joined Elon Musk and David Sacks on Twitter Spaces on Monday 5 June to discuss the former’s bid for the White House.

Mr Kennedy was also  joined by Tulsi Gabbard, Balaji Srinivasan, Omeed Malik, Michael Shellenberger and Kelly Slater at the event.

The Twitter Spaces event comes just weeks after Mr Musk and Mr Sacks hosted and moderated a similar audio listening event with presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, where he launched his own campaign.

Notably, the Spaces session was filled with technological glitches, which Mr Sacks attributed to a high volume of listeners.

Following the event, Mr Musk welcomed all candidates onto Twitter and said he would be open to hosting other candidates on Twitter Spaces.

But some were unhappy with Mr Musk’s decision to host Mr Kennedy as he has been previously banned from social platforms for spreading misinformation.

Key Points

• Elon Musk hosts Twitter Spaces with Robert F Kennedy Jr
• Jack Dorsey endorses Robert F Kennedy Jr for president
• Elon Musk criticised for hosting RFK Jr
• RFK Jr calls traditional media organisations “propaganda vessels”
• Twitter users mock RFK Jr and Elon Musk’s ‘love fest’ Spaces event

[5 June 2023 14:51 · Ariana Baio]

Elon Musk hosts Twitter Spaces with Robert F Kennedy Jr

Elon Musk is set to host a Twitter Spaces event with 2024 presidential candidate, and outspoken anti-vaccine advocate, Robert F Kennedy Jr- just weeks after Ron DeSantis launched his campaign using the feature.

Mr Kennedy is set to speak with Mr Musk and David Sacks on 5 June at 2pm EST in an event poised to be similar to Mr DeSantis’.

Ariana Baio reports:

[5 June 2023 15:03 · Ariana Baio]

Elon Musk says Twitter Spaces is being ‘upgraded’ and ‘tested’ ahead of event

Elon Musk indicated Twitter Spaces was being upgraded and tested ahead of his event with presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr on Monday.

On Friday (2 June) Mr Musk tweeted that the feature was going to be “stress-tested” in advance - likely to avoid the same mistake as his Twitter Spaces with candidate Ron DeSantis in May.

During the Spaces with Mr DeSantis, Twitter continuously crashed and caused audio outages randomly which moderator David Sacks attributed to a high volume of listeners.

[5 June 2023 15:30 · Ariana Baio]

Who is running for president in 2024?

Robert F Kennedy Jr joins a group of several other Republican and Democrat candidates seeking a 2024 White House bid.

Andrew Feinberg and Ariana Baio report:

[5 June 2023 16:00 · Ariana Baio]

Robert F Kennedy Jr Instagram account reactivated

Instagram reinstated the personal account of Robert F Kennedy Jr on Sunday 4 June, just one day ahead of his planned Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk.

Mr Kennedy’s personal account was banned in 2021 after he continuously posted misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines on his Instagram account.

But due to his recent bid for president, Mr Kennedy’s account has been reinstated.

“As he is now an active candidate for president of the United States, we have restored access to Robert F Kennedy, Jr’s, Instagram account,” a spokesperson for Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta said in a statement to The Washington Post.

[5 June 2023 16:41 · Ariana Baio]

RFK Jr’s descent into conspiracy theories causing anguish for family and friends, report says

Friends and family of Robert F Kennedy Jr have said they are dismayed at his descent into “fear-mongering” by spreading anti-vaccine conspiracies.

Bevan Hurley reports:

[5 June 2023 17:15 · Ariana Baio]

Jack Dorsey endorses Robert F Kennedy Jr for president

Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, has seemingly endorsed Robert F Kennedy Jr for president in a tweet.

Mr Dorsey shared a YouTube link to a Fox News interview of John F Kennedy’s 69-year-old nephew on Sunday, titled “Robert F Kennedy Jr argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024”.

Mr Dorsey quote tweeted the link. “He can and will,” wrote the Twitter co-founder.

[5 June 2023 17:44 · Ariana Baio]

Robert F Kennedy Jr denies comparing Covid mandates to the Holocaust

Controversial presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr is beginning his campaign for the presidency with a move that no White House hopeful ever wants to have to make – by clarifying comments about the Holocaust.

According to Mr Kennedy, news companies incorrectly claimed that he had compared the Holocaust and specifically the treatment of Anne Frank to Covid vaccine mandates.

John Bowden reports:

[5 June 2023 18:01 · Ariana Baio]

Elon Musk criticised for hosting RFK Jr

Several Twitter users are unhappy that Elon Musk is hosting 2024 presidential candidate, and notably anti-vaccine advocate, Robert F Kennedy Jr on Twitter Spaces.

“Musk will personally normalize a presidential candidate who runs a vicious anti-vax propaganda organization, publishes unhinged attacks against Dr. Fauci, and [sic] rubs elbows with the likes of Roger Stone at far right white nationalist events,” Occupy Democrats tweeted.

“Elon Musk has chosen to give RFK Jr a platform,” Geoff Pilkington tweeted with a screenshot of a tweet criticising Mr Kennedy’s previous statements.

Mr Kennedy was banned from Instagram in 2021 for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines. For years, the nephew of John F Kennedy spread debunked theories about vaccines like their links to autism.

[5 June 2023 18:30 · Ariana Baio]

WATCH: Robert F Kennedy Jr announces presidential run

Robert F Kennedy Jr, known by his initials RFK Jr, launched his presidential campaign on 5 April. Watch his official announcement below.

[5 June 2023 19:00 · Ariana Baio]

How to listen to Robert F Kennedy Jr and Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces

Robert F Kennedy Jr will be joining Elon Musk and David Sacks in a conversation about the 2024 presidential election at 2pm EST on Twitter Spaces

To listen to their conversation you can click the link provided by Mr Kennedy or Mr Musk via Twitter here.