Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that he is suspending his independent bid for the U.S. presidency and will endorse Donald Trump’s campaign.
Kennedy, 70, who was a lifelong Democrat and a member of the influential Kennedy family, stated that the principles which led him to leave the party have now driven him to support Trump. He affirmed that he would remain on the ballot in states where his presence won’t impact the race.
Trump expressed his gratitude, commenting, “We just had a very nice endorsement from RFK Jr., and I’ll be discussing it. He’s a great guy, respected by everybody.”
Kennedy’s campaign, which had been marked by his anti-vaccine stance and controversial stories, has seen a decline in support, with polling numbers falling from double digits to single figures as funding and media attention waned.
The Kennedy family, who had opposed his campaign, described his decision to back Trump as a “betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.”
Kennedy justified his support for Trump by citing Trump’s promise to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations with Russia. He acknowledged significant disagreements with Trump but emphasized alignment on key issues.
Kennedy plans to remove his name from the ballot in 10 states where he believes his candidacy could act as a spoiler for Trump.
He launched his campaign as a Democrat, but left the party in October to run as an independent, criticizing the party for becoming “the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big money.” He also blamed media and party opposition for his decision to suspend his campaign, stating he no longer saw a viable path to victory due to “systematic censorship.”
Before President Joe Biden’s exit from the race, Kennedy’s polling stood at 14% – 16%. After Kamala Harris became the nominee, his support dwindled to single digits.
Kennedy also sought to engage with Harris’s campaign, offering collaboration, but was unsuccessful.
Democrats dismissed his endorsement of Trump. Mary Beth Cahill, a senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee, said, “Donald Trump isn’t gaining support; he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate. Good riddance.”