On Friday, independent presidential candidate RFK Jr. announced the suspension of his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump, the GOP nominee. Speaking in Phoenix, Kennedy said that he didn’t see a path to the White House and couldn’t continue in good conscience asking for his staff’s, volunteers, or donors’ efforts.
Reasons for Supporting Trump
RFK Jr. cited free speech, the war in Ukraine, and what he called the “war on our children” as three main reasons why he left the Democratic Party to support Trump. He expressed concern over U.S. children’s health — pointing to processed foods, chemicals, and obesity as significant factors — and admitted that his decision was tough for his family, especially his wife, Cheryl Hines.
Reaction from the Kennedy Family
His family strongly condemned Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump. His sister, Kerry Kennedy, released a statement on behalf of herself and four other relatives, calling his choice a betrayal of their father’s and family’s values. However, despite this backlash from loved ones, he stressed unity and love even in disagreement.
Future Plans & Potential Outcomes
Remaining on the Ballot
While suspending his campaign, Kennedy will still appear on many noncompetitive states’ ballots. In battleground states that could act as spoilers if won by either major party candidate against whom they’re competitive (e.g., Michigan), he plans on removing himself from contention but not necessarily playing any role whatsoever should there be an Electoral College 269-269 tie resulting from this election.
Trump’s Response & Future Collaboration
He joined Trump for a rally in Glendale, Arizona, after endorsing him, where Trump lauded his potential influence on this race and then vowed to establish an independent presidential commission concerning assassination attempts, aiming at releasing all remaining documents related to RFK Jr. assassination.
Impact on the 2024 Election
Kennedy’s support of Trump may have significant implications for the 2024 election, despite being unable to gain much support as a contender within primaries mainly because of his controversial anti-vaccine conspiracy theories promotion, which caused rifts among family members who had already endorsed President Biden in certain battleground states where he had won considerable support during this campaign season so far could potentially tip an otherwise close race one way or another. VP Kamala Harris campaign responded by appealing to Kennedy supporters, positioning herself as a unifier for the nation.
Kennedy’s campaign has been marked by controversy, including his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories that led to a break with some family members who had endorsed President Biden; nevertheless, given his family’s history and ongoing presence within political discussions, he remained prominent throughout the election cycle.
