Top Kennedy staffer steps down from role citing ‘hateful and divisive atmosphere’

A top advisor to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said she is stepping down from her role, citing an ‘increasingly hateful and divisive atmosphere.’

Angela Stanton King, a former Trump supporter and Republican House candidate who served as Kennedy’s advisor for Black outreach since joining the campaign last year, announced her decision in a post on X late Tuesday.

‘After much reflection, I’ve decided to step away from the political theatre. The increasingly hateful and divisive atmosphere no longer aligns with my values,’ Stanton King wrote.

‘I will continue to advise RFK, Jr. on key community issues. Now, it’s time for me to pursue peace and fully dedicate myself to my nonprofit work, supporting pregnant women and returning citizens. This new chapter excites me, as I focus on making a tangible difference where it’s needed most,’ she added.

It is unclear whether Stanton King was referencing the ‘atmosphere’ of the Kennedy campaign when announcing her intention to step down, and a spokesperson for Kennedy did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Other news outlets reported that Stanton King left the campaign, which appeared to prompt a response from her in another social media post on Wednesday.

‘Reports that I’ve been let go from the RFK campaign for ANY reason are 100% ABSOLUTELY FALSE,’ she wrote.

Stanton King told The New York Times that she had ‘switched to an informal role,’ and pointed to her original social media post as the reason for the switch. She previously appeared alongside Kennedy and vice presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan frequently at campaign events in the weeks leading up to her announcement, but she reportedly clashed with Kennedy at times over his abortion platform.

She was pardoned by former President Trump in 2020 for crimes related to vehicle theft and later lost an Atlanta-area House race while running as a Republican. 

In 2022, Stanton King was involved in Black voter outreach in Georgia on behalf of then-Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker.