Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Newsmax it was a "critical mistake" for President Joe Biden not to call out Iran in his speech addressing the Islamic terrorist incursions into Israel.
Appearing Tuesday on "Eric Bolling The Balance," Kennedy explained that he largely agreed with Biden's speech and thought it was delivered appropriately, but found his exclusion of Iran a severe error.
Iran was accused by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday – citing senior members of the anti-Israel militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah – of funding, orchestrating, and greenlighting their deadly attack over the weekend.
Iran's U.N. delegation has denied the reports.
"I think it's a critical mistake not to mention Iran because ... Iran directs Hamas. It arms Hamas. It trains them. And The Wall Street Journal article shows clearly there was pre-planning that was directed by Iran ... for this operation," Kennedy explained.
"We know historically that Iran responds to American pressure. If there is no pressure, Iran responds aggressively," he continued. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "is playing chess while our administration is playing checkers."
Over 1,200 civilians, law enforcement, and soldiers have been killed in Israel since the conflict erupted Saturday, according to Israeli officials. Another 3,400 are wounded, and over 200 have been taken hostage.
Meanwhile, Gazan, West Bank, and local Lebanese authorities estimate that 925 have been killed in their territories in retaliatory strikes. Nearly 4,700 are wounded, and the United Nations believes over 200,000 are displaced.
Kennedy announced Monday that he was running as an independent presidential candidate and leaving the Democratic Party after previously seeking the party's nomination against Biden.
He told Bolling on Tuesday that his decision to go rogue was motivated by the Democratic National Committee's roadblocks to his campaign, including their rejection of calls for a presidential debate.
"The DNC meshed their offices, their fundraising, their strategic operations with the president's," Kennedy claimed. "So, there was no difference between President Biden's campaign and the DNC."
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Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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