Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Democratic Party has become consumed by opposition to Donald Trump, arguing that its political identity now centers on resisting the former president rather than advancing consistent policy positions.
Kennedy made the remarks during an appearance on Hannity following Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address, where he discussed why he left the Democratic Party and ultimately aligned himself with the Trump administration.
Asked by host Sean Hannity whether today’s Democratic Party resembles the one he grew up in, Kennedy said its priorities have shifted dramatically. “That’s why I left the Democratic Party,” Kennedy said. “They had become obsessed with Donald Trump. Anything Donald Trump said, they had to be against.”
Kennedy pointed to policy reversals as examples of what he called reflexive opposition. He said Democrats were once against NAFTA but reversed course after Trump opposed it, and similarly changed positions on foreign policy when Trump criticized the war in Ukraine. “They only have one issue, which is Donald Trump,” he said.
Kennedy argued that the strategy of building political momentum around opposition to a single figure is flawed. “It’s a bad political choice. It’s a bad strategic choice,” he said. “You cannot build a party infrastructure just on your hatred of a single man.”
.@SecKennedy on why he left the Democratic Party: “You cannot build a party infrastructure just on your hatred of a single man.” pic.twitter.com/VytbadzW6O
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) February 25, 2026
His comments came as Trump used his State of the Union address to highlight immigration enforcement, economic growth, and foreign policy, drawing sharp reactions from Democrats in the chamber and renewed debate over the party’s direction.
Kennedy, a longtime environmental lawyer and member of one of the most prominent Democratic political families, on October 9, 2023, officially withdrew from the Democratic primary to run as an independent. He framed his candidacy as a “Declaration of Independence” from the two-party system and “corporate tyranny” before ending his campaign and endorsing Trump. He was later selected to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, becoming one of the most unconventional cabinet appointments in modern U.S. politics.
Kennedy’s remarks underscore the widening rift between Democrats and the Trump administration following the State of the Union, with immigration, foreign policy, and economic messaging emerging as central battlegrounds.
While Democrats criticized Trump’s tone and proposals, Kennedy framed their response as driven more by opposition to Trump personally than by policy substance, saying that such a strategy risks alienating voters who are looking for a broader governing vision.
