A newly-released email shows a top Republican donor criticizing former President Donald Trump for adding Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to his presidential transition team, referring to Kennedy as an “an anti-vax kook.”
The email emerged Wednesday and was sent from Eric Levine, a New York native and prominent board member with the Republican Jewish Coalition, according to Jewish Insider.
Levine’s subject line provocatively asked, “Is Trump Trying to Lose?,” and took aim at Gabbard and Kennedy as “fringe candidates with fringe policy positions” whom he believes will alienate conservative voters.
In a new email, Eric Levine, a top GOP donor who said last March he would vote for Trump “reluctantly and with reservations,” assails the former president for adding RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to his transition team:
“It is hard to imagine a more self-destructive announcement.” pic.twitter.com/am31Fxxq7h
— Matthew Kassel (@matthewkassel) August 28, 2024
Criticizing Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, for her previous endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential race, Levine said “there is something terribly wrong with this picture.”
The well-known GOP fundraiser warned that Trump’s moves could benefit Vice President Kamala Harris as she aims to appeal to moderate Republicans.
“These should be solid Trump voters,” Levine said, suggesting Trump should bring in “someone like Nikki Haley” and remain focused on policy to retain his strong base.
Levine previously supported Sen. Tim Scott and Haley for president, and once vowed never to vote for Trump again after the 2020 election. He reversed his stance in March, citing concerns about President Biden’s handling of Israel and rising antisemitism, among other issues.