RFK Jr. makes Republicans anxious again: from the Politics Office

Welcome to the online version of Political officeAn evening newsletter that brings you the latest report and analysis of the NBC News Policy team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign campaign.

In today’s edition, Allan Smith has got hold of new polls that show why some Republicans are starting to worry about the political impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In addition, Andrea Mitchell examines how President Donald Trump has already reshaped foreign policy at the start of his trip abroad.

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RFK Jr. and its “maha” program make nervous republicans

By Allan Smith

During the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump said that he would allow Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “unleash” on health, food and medicine.

But now, three months after the start of Kennedy’s mandate as secretary to health and social services, some Republicans want Trump to master him and his program “Make America Healthy Healthy”. As the prices say remain their main concern.

Here’s how a republican strategist working on races in 2026 said it: “It’s time to start giving handcuffs to RFK.”

Maga Split: There is a gap between the conservatives enthusiastic by the Trump deregulation and tax cutting agenda compared to a new law that promotes protectionism, the increases in taxes on the rich and price limits on prescription drugs, which Trump unveiled in a decree on Monday.

Kennedy’s mission is at the forefront of this split. The secretary of the cabinet – who declared “sugar is poison” – launched a war against the food industry, Move to eliminate synthetic food colors and artificial food additives and prevent food coupons to be used on soda and candies. As part of his “Maha Commission“To investigate chronic diseases, he is committed to investigating any link with processed foods or pesticides. And Kennedy did a national tour to promote state legislation which he considers criticism for food companies to negotiate with him.

Concern on Capitol Hill: Wednesday, some Republican legislators expressed their concern to Kennedy’s efforts to a house hearing. The representative Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., Pushed against the ban on synthetic dyes, saying that they have been judged safe for many years “, to which Kennedy replied “Good science” linked them to neurological injuries and cancer. During the same audience, representative Mike Simpson, R-Assaho, a former dentist, questioned the anti-flood push of Kennedy.

New survey: A internal survey Directed last month by the Tyson group, a data company aligned with the GOP, and public research of Plymouth Union of 813 Republican primary voters found that almost 60% would be less likely to support a candidate for the governor or the state legislator if they have reassured with RFK JR. On food regulations, knowing that it could undermine ”and make food more expensive. “”

But the investigation also showed some of the Kennedy and Maha forces with the Republicans. In particular, more than 40% of probable republican primary voters said that the headquarters with RFK JR. Even at the expense of Trump would make them more likely to vote for a candidate. A Economist / Yougov Survey Last month, revealed that 42% of American adults consider Kennedy favorably – practically online with Trump and higher than vice -president JD Vance and his colleagues secretaries of the firm Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick and Kristi Noem.

Find out more Allan →

More on RFK Jr.: During his appearance before a chamber committee, Kennedy bypassed a question on vaccines and if he would choose to vaccinate his children today against a certain number of diseases, saying: “I do not think that people should take medical advice on my part.” Read the complete history of Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Megan Lebowitz.

Trump’s Persian Gulf Odyssey

Analysis by Andrea Mitchell

This week, the tour of the president of President Donald Trump in the Persian Gulf turned out to be more consecutive in the reshaping of American foreign policy in the region than anyone could have imagined.

When Trump made Saudi Arabia the first judgment during his first official trip abroad of his second term, it was thought that he would also visit Israel, as he did during his first mandate. But the opposition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Trump’s will to speak directly with Iran – and the determination of Israel to oppose a cease -fire in the Gaza Strip – are short of violation with the president’s evolutionary vision for the region.

The visit has also produced a commitment for hundreds of billions of dollars in commercial investment by the Saudis in the United States and the trip came in the context of real estate, crypto and current family of Trump’s family.

What is more surprising this week is Release of sanctions against Syria And Meeting with Ahmed Al-SharaaThe new head of the post-Bashar al-Assad regime. The Biden administration, still cautious, waited until European diplomats flocked for Damascus before sending an intermediate level diplomat to meet Al-Sharaa, a former Hayat Tahrir al-Sham chief, who is linked to both Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

But Trump was pressed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the de facto Saudi sovereign, the crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to strengthen the nascent Syrian regime, whose country has undergone a repeated military attack from Israel and internal national factions. As Trump said, “Oh, what I do for the Crown Prince.”

His sumptuous arrival in Riyadh – welcomed by the crown prince and his limousine escorted by American runners carrying flags on Arab horses – was far from the deaf reception for the president of the time, Joe Biden in 2022. But Biden had told me during a Primary debate with democratic presidential elections In 2019, he would make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” state for the murder of the Washington Post chronicler, Jamal Khashoggi. On the other hand, when the CIA concluded that Khashoggi’s death was most likely ordered by the Crown Prince, Trump questioned intelligence on several occasions and suggested that we could never really know the truth.

This week, Trump showed both a propensity for Royal Welcome and an ability to pivot to unexpected diplomatic initiatives with a foreign policy that is both high and deeply personal.

Read related:The Trump franchise extends in the Middle East – just like ethical concernsby Katherine Doyle

It’s all of the political bureau for the moment. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Bridget Bowman.

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