Topline
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday he will suspend his campaign and throw his support behind former President Donald Trump, noting he intends to remove his name from ballots in 10 battleground states.
RFK Jr. made the announcement Friday afternoon. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
Key Facts
Kennedy, who was expected to drop out of the presidential race, said he no longer believes he “has a realistic path to an electoral victory in the face of this relentless systematic censorship and media control.”
Kennedy added he would suspend his campaign and pull his name from the ballots of 10 battleground states in hopes of helping Trump, whom he endorsed.
Kennedy’s name will remain on the ballot in non-competitive states, with the independent candidate saying blue and red state voters can vote for him “without harming or helping Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris.”
Despite suspending his campaign, Kennedy encouraged Americans to vote for him in non-battleground states, arguing he could end up in the White House in a contingent election if neither Trump or Harris win 270 electoral votes.
Trump said Kennedy provided him with a “very nice endorsement” while speaking at a campaign event in Glendale, Arizona, after Kennedy said he aligns with Trump on matters including the Ukraine war, border policy and free speech.
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Crucial Quote
“I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them that I have a real path to the White House.”
Chief Critic
Kerry Kennedy, one of RFK Jr.’s sisters, said in a statement signed by her and four other siblings that their brother’s endorsement of Trump “is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear.”
Key Background
Kennedy was expected to drop out of the presidential race Friday following comments from his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, who said earlier this week the campaign was considering an end to its run and a Trump endorsement. Kennedy’s campaign has suffered from fundraising struggles and a drop in polling, reporting $3.9 million in cash and $3.5 million in debt at the end of last month. Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump is built on a rocky relationship that has included a mix of supportive public comments and disparaging remarks. Trump has characterized Kennedy as a “Radical Left Lunatic” whose votes would be a “WASTED PROTEST VOTE,” provoking Kennedy to call Trump’s comments a “barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims.” Kennedy has also reportedly called Trump a “terrible human being” and suggested he may be a sociopath, according to text messages obtained by The New Yorker.
Further Reading
RFK Jr. Endorses Trump After Calling Him ‘Sociopath’ — His Reversal, Explained (Forbes)
