Today, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced his withdrawal from the presidential race.
“I’m not ending my campaign, I’m just suspending it, I’m not ending it,” Kennedy said. “My name will still be on the ballot in most states.”
But Kennedy said that after “deep prayer,” she had decided to throw her support behind former President Donald Trump and would join his campaign. She said her fervent concern about chronic diseases and Trump’s promises to address these issues, if elected, ultimately shaped her decision.
“I may only have ten more years to be effective,” Kennedy said. “If President Trump is elected and keeps his word, the enormous burden of chronic disease that is crippling and bankrupting the country will be lifted.”
Before endorsing Trump, Kennedy noted that he could still win the election in a contingent election, but that he would remove his name from the ballot in the ten states where his candidacy could act as a risk factor. “If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me,” he said. “I encourage you to vote for me.”
Kennedy also used his speech to accuse the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of waging a legal war against him and former President Donald Trump, comparing Biden and the organization to Vladimir Putin’s Russia. He attacked Harris for not granting impromptu interviews to the press, while he and Trump have done so.
“Are we still a model of democracy in this country or have we turned it into some kind of joke?” he asked. Kennedy said he was forced to drop out of the race when it became clear he would “hand the election to the Democratic Party.”
Signs that Kennedy and Trump were moving closer to a political alliance have been mounting for months. In July, Kennedy traveled to the Republican National Convention, where A video In an interview with The New York Times, it was revealed that Trump and Kennedy were apparently discussing a possible endorsement. Trump campaign donor Timothy Mellon also supported Kennedy’s campaign with $25 million. Earlier this week, Kennedy’s running mate Nicole Shanahan suggested in a podcast appearance that he I could give up and support the former president.
On a Thursday Post on XShanahan said Democrats are “terrified of the idea of our movement joining forces with Donald Trump.”
“MAGA Republicans elevated RFK Jr.’s sham candidacy as a tool to deceive voters and hurt Democrats, and RFK Jr.’s departure is an admission that their tactic failed,” Democratic National Committee (DNC) spokesman Ramsey Reid said in a statement.
Kennedy’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy launched his campaign as a Democrat in April 2023 and then as an independent in October 2023and appeared to be a potential candidate who could significantly affect the election results. Throughout his campaign, Kennedy seemed to have mastered the art of occupying any digital space offered to him. He appeared on podcasts and TikTok Lives, and courted cryptocurrency donors. When he wasn’t offered a spot on the debate stage alongside Trump and President Joe Biden, Kennedy hosted a side debate, streamed online and on X, watched by More than 9 million people.