Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described President Donald Trump as “an empath” for acknowledging both Ukrainian and Russian casualties in the ongoing war. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Summit in Texas, Kennedy, HHS secretary, repeatedly commended Trump for highlighting the human cost of conflict while thousands of U.S. troops were deployed to the Middle East amid escalating tensions in Iran.
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Kennedy said he had initially viewed Trump as a “bombastic narcissist” but changed his opinion, noting that the president discusses casualties on both sides of the Ukraine war. He added that Trump receives weekly reports on Russian deaths and appears deeply affected by the statistics, in contrast to Democrats who, he claims, do not address these losses. The Ukraine conflict, which began with Vladimir Putin’s February 2022 invasion, has resulted in an estimated 325,000 Russian and 140,000 Ukrainian deaths, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The HHS secretary also commented on Trump’s handling of the Iran war, praising his apparent knowledge of the region. Kennedy described a moment when Trump drew a detailed map of the Middle East, marking troop strengths along each border, challenging Kennedy’s assumptions about his understanding. The Iran conflict, now in its second month, has led to more than 15,000 U.S. strikes, with over 1,500 Iranian deaths and 13 U.S. service personnel killed, while Tehran has retaliated against neighbouring nations.
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Trump has offered no clear timeline for resolution, and recent developments suggest the U.S. may be preparing for a prolonged campaign. Recent polls indicate limited public support for military action: 59 percent of Americans surveyed by Pew Research Centre believe the U.S. made the wrong decision using force in Iran, while only 7 percent support a potential ground war, with 65 percent expecting Trump to initiate one, according to a March 19 Reuters survey.
