In a surprising turn of events, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed a crowd at a recent campaign event for former President Donald J. Trump, raising concerns about an ongoing investigation into his handling of a whale carcass years ago. Kennedy, who recently endorsed Trump after ending his own independent bid for the presidency, revealed that he had received a letter from a national fisheries institute regarding the collection of a whale specimen two decades ago.

Speaking at the event in Glendale, Arizona, Kennedy implied that the investigation was politically motivated and expressed confidence in being protected by the statute of limitations. He suggested that this inquiry was part of a broader effort to undermine his support for Trump, as he continues to advocate for his own policies on health and environmental issues.

The controversy surrounding the whale carcass incident first emerged during the summer when Kennedy admitted to leaving a dead bear cub in Central Park in 2014 as a prank. This confession drew attention to an article in Town & Country from 2012, where his daughter Kick Kennedy recounted an incident where her father had chainsawed the head off a dead whale on the Hyannis Port shore in Massachusetts. Kennedy then reportedly affixed the whale's head to the roof of a minivan for the five-hour drive back to their home in Mount Kisco, New York.

While the mention of the investigation was unexpected during the campaign event, Kennedy seamlessly transitioned between urging his followers to support Trump and showcasing his own views on health and environmental issues, now with a refreshed "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) inflection. As a vaccine skeptic who has promoted a disproven link between vaccines and autism, Kennedy declared, "Make America healthy again!" to the applause of hundreds in the audience, highlighting Trump's potential role in ending what he referred to as a "chronic disease epidemic."

Interestingly, when Kennedy was contemplating the end of his independent bid for the presidency, he reached out to both Vice President Kamala Harris and Mr. Trump for possible cabinet positions. While Harris declined to meet with him, Trump showed receptiveness despite their previous rivalry. However, there have been no public confirmations of Kennedy securing a cabinet role, although Trump has hinted at working with him on a task force focused on chronic health issues.

During the event, Kennedy joined former Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, another former Democrat, in discussing the political polarization in the country, attributing it to "hypnosis and a psy-op" orchestrated by those in power. Echoing these concerns, the political arm of the Center for Biological Diversity, a progressive environmental group, sent a letter last month to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), calling for an investigation into the whale incident. They argued that Kennedy may have violated conservation laws.

When asked about the investigation after the rally, Kennedy chose not to provide further details, dismissing the topic as "gossipy nonsense." It remains unclear how this investigation will unfold, and representatives from NOAA Fisheries, the agency responsible for marine protection, have yet to comment on the matter.

As the story surrounding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handling of the whale carcass resurfaces, questions linger about the potential impact on both his endorsement of Trump and his ongoing advocacy for health and environmental policies. Only time will tell how the investigation unfolds and whether Kennedy's claims of political motive hold any weight.