Robert F. Kennedy's Campaign Slammed as 'Dangerous to Our Country' in Statement from 4 of His Siblings

"Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment," a statement signed by four of RFK Jr.'s siblings said on Monday

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday he will be running as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential race — and almost immediately, four of his siblings denounced his candidacy.

"The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country," begins the statement, which was signed by his siblings Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy II and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

The statement continued, "Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Today's announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country."

RFK Jr. is the third of 11 children born to the late U.S. Attorney General and Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. He is the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, 69, announced his party switch from Democrat to Independent at a rally in Philadelphia on Monday, as he stood before signs reading "Kennedy 2024: Declare Your Independence."

The announcement comes after RFK Jr. was met with sagging poll numbers among Democratic voters since he launched his 2024 presidential campaign in April.

Known for spouting debunked misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations, RFK Jr. has in recent months made headlines for echoing antisemitic discourse that Jews engineered and spread the COVID-19 virus.

The candidate has also drawn attention for butting heads with his own family members, many of whom are close with the Biden family.

Related: Kerry Kennedy Tears into Brother RFK Jr.’s ‘Deplorable’ Remarks About COVID-19 Sparing Jews and Chinese People

In his own official campaign launch, RFK Jr. himself acknowledged that his family members have "long personal relationships" with President Biden.

"My whole family including myself have long personal relationships with President Biden ... and many of them just plain disagree with me on issues like censorship and war and public health," Kennedy said at the time. "They are entitled to their beliefs...and I love them back."

His sister Kerry has distanced herself from his political aspirations, writing in a statement issued after his campaign launch, "I love my brother Bobby, but I do not share or endorse his opinions on many issues, including the COVID pandemic, vaccinations, and the role of social media platforms in policing false information."

Bobby Jr.'s youngest brother, Doug Kennedy, a correspondent for FOX News Channel, previously told PEOPLE that his brother "has immense political talent," but that while he's loved in the family, "not everyone agrees with his positions."

More recently, Jack Schlossberg — the grandson of JFK and son of Caroline Kennedy — slammed him on Instagram, calling RFK Jr.'s candidacy "an embarrassment."

Schlossberg, a 30-year-old attorney, made headlines for the video he posted in May, in which he says: "President John F. Kennedy is my grandfather and his legacy is important. It’s about a lot more than Camelot and conspiracy theories. It’s about public service and courage. It’s about civil rights, the Cuban missile crisis, and landing a man on the moon.”

Elsewhere in the video, Schlossberg said President Biden has focused on "the issues that matter," adding: "If my cousin, Bobby Kennedy Jr., cared about any of them, he would support Joe Biden, too. Instead, he’s trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories, and conflict for personal gain and fame."

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