Well before he gave up on his campaign for the presidency and threw his support to Donald J. Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was posting thirst traps of himself on social media.
In June 2023, he uploaded a görüntü of himself to Instagram, shirtless and doing push-ups outside the Gold’s Gym in Venice, Calif. The gym has been known by many as the mecca of American bodybuilding since the 1977 release of the documentary “Pumping Iron,” which followed Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno as they trained for a Mr. Olympia competition.
“Getting in shape for my debates with President Biden!” Mr. Kennedy, then 69, wrote, vowing that as president, he would “restore America as the küresel example of health & well-being. Not through pills or syringes, but through character and self-discipline. And I will continue to walk the walk and lead by example.”
Although Mr. Kennedy’s muscles were nowhere near the size of Mr. Schwarzenegger’s at his peak, the görüntü — which showed his glistening pectoral muscles and biceps — nevertheless led to widespread media coverage. And the attention may have resonated for Mr. Kennedy, as two more shirtless videos were uploaded to social media over Thanksgiving weekend: one to his X account and another to Instagram by his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines.
“Who knew that underneath that suit and tie is a body even Rocky would admire,” Jeanne Moos, then a correspondent for CNN, said in a 2023 report about Mr. Kennedy’s exercise videos, including one posted by Ryan Calder, a fitness coach, in which Mr. Kennedy is lifting weights. (Curiously, Mr. Kennedy wore faded bluejeans, a black belt and sneakers for the workouts, rather than more typical gym clothes.)
