Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) announced on Friday the suspension of his independent presidential campaign and the endorsement of the Republican nominee Donald Trump, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Hours after the announcement, RFK Jr., son of Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, joined Trump at a campaign rally in Arizona, where the crowds expressed their approval by cheering loudly for him and chanting “Bobby!”
Kennedy’s Withdrawal
In a press conference, RFK Jr. said that the internal polls showed that his candidacy would hurt Trump and boost the chances of the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. He added that his decision came after weeks of talks with Trump.
Kennedy called their alliance “a unity party,” that would allow them to “disagree publicly and privately and seriously.” He suggested that Trump offered him a job in case he returned to the White House, without providing details.
Furthermore, RFK Jr. cited some issues as reasons for his decision, including free speech, the war on Ukraine, and a “war on our children.” He said: “These are the principal causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent, and now to throw my support to President Trump.”
From Democrat to Independent
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer and author, started his presidential bid as a Democrat, but later declared he would run as an independent. “The Democrats are frightened that I’m going to spoil the election for President Biden. The Republicans are frightened that I’m going to spoil it for President Trump. The truth is, they’re both right,” he said in October.
RFK Jr. has faced sharp criticism for promoting discredited conspiracy theories, such as connecting childhood vaccines to autism. He also denounced steps to mitigate Covid-19.
After making the withdrawal announcement, Kennedy said he would withdraw his name from key battleground states that are likely to determine the election outcome, but will remain as a candidate in other states. He took steps to remove his name from the ballot in Arizona and Pennsylvania. However, in the battleground states of Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin, officials said it would be too late for him to remove his name from the ballot.
A “Special Guest”
After explicitly saying he would endorse Trump, RFK Jr. joined the former president onstage at a rally in Glendale, where Trump’s campaign had said that a “special guest” would join him.
Trump introduced Kennedy as “a man who has been an incredible champion for so many of these values that we all share,” amid staggering applause from the crowd. “We are both in this to do what’s right for the country,” the Republican nominee added.
Trump brought the issue of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, pledging to “release all remaining documents related to John F. Kennedy’s assassination” if he won in November, by establishing a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts, including the one that targeted him.
Moreover, Trump pledged to establish a panel that would cooperate with RFK Jr. to investigate the increase in chronic health conditions and childhood diseases, including autoimmune disorders, autism, obesity and infertility.
Frustrating Move
In a joint statement, five of Kennedy’s family members expressed disappointment, calling his endorsement of Trump “a sad ending to a sad story.” His sister Kerry posted the statement on X, which said: “Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear.” They also reiterated their support for Harris.
I am sharing a personal statement that my family and I have made in response to my brother’s announcement. pic.twitter.com/j7vTTabNYZ
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) August 23, 2024
Some of Kennedy’s supporters said that his decision is frustrating, because they have been supporting him as an alternative to the two-party system, and because they did not want to vote for Trump, according to the Guardian.
Democratic Stance
Although RFK Jr. has been a source of concern for the Biden and Trump campaigns for some time, the past two months have seen a massive change after Trump assassination attempt and Biden’s decision to step down and endorse Harris.
According to Reuters, Kennedy’s support has waned. An Ipsos poll showed his national support had dropped to 4%. This could still be significant in a tight race such as the current Trump-Harris contest.
However, Democrats played down Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump. The Democratic National Committee senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill said in a statement: “Donald Trump isn’t earning an endorsement that’s going to help build support, he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate. Good riddance.”
Meanwhile, the Harris campaign courted RFK Jr.’s supporters, according to AP. In a statement, the campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon invited Kennedy’s supporters who do not want to vote for Trump and are “looking for a new way forward” to back Harris.
