Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared on Friday that he is endorsing former President Donald Trump in lieu of continuing his unlikely presidential bid. He announced this during a Phoenix, Arizona speech, where he asked supporters in both blue and red states to cast ballots for him, but he said he would not run for office in battleground states to avoid becoming a "spoiler."
"I want everyone to know that I am not terminating my
campaign," said Kennedy. "I am simply suspending it, not ending
it."
Kennedy soon joined Trump on stage at the Glendale, Arizona,
rally of the former president. At the rally, Trump declared that he would
reveal all of the remaining records pertaining to President John F. Kennedy's
1963 assassination and that he would form an impartial commission to look into
attempted assassinations.
He gave an account of how he got started in the race, left
the Democratic Party, and ultimately chose to back President Trump.
Kennedy's campaign submitted a court document endorsing Trump in Pennsylvania
right before he took the stage.
At the time, Trump was in Nevada on a campaign trail and immediately praised
the endorsement. He declared that a "special guest" will be attending
his rally in Glendale, Arizona, later that day.
In Las Vegas, Trump stated, "We just received a very nice endorsement from
RFK Jr., Bobby." "That is significant. Everyone respects this
wonderful guy."
Concurrently, the Democratic National Committee
responded to Kennedy's declaration by emphatically declaring, "good
riddance."
"Voters' approval of RFK Jr. decreased as more
information about him became available," stated DNC senior adviser Mary
Beth Cahill. "Donald Trump isn’t gaining a valuable endorsement; he’s
inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate."
Kennedy made a heartfelt statement in Phoenix, Arizona, emphasizing that his
choice was motivated by a long-standing concern for one important issue:
childhood chronic disease.
Kennedy clarified that he opted to support the
only contender who expressed interest in tackling this issue, given that his
chances of winning the presidency had virtually been eliminated.
"If President Trump is elected and keeps his word, the immense burden of
chronic disease that currently demoralizes and bankrupts the country will
vanish," Kennedy stated.
For me, this is a spiritual journey. I made my decision by
asking myself what decisions I must make to optimize my chances of saving
America's children and restoring the nation's health, along with intense prayer
and hard-nosed reasoning," he continued.
"I knew that if I turned down this opportunity, I
wouldn’t be able to look myself in the mirror, knowing I had the chance to save
countless children's lives and help reverse this country’s chronic disease
epidemic."
Kennedy's inner circle was divided on whether to support Trump, particularly in
light of the fact that his campaign only stepped up its outreach after surveys
last month revealed Trump was losing ground.
But according to a person with knowledge of the recent conversations between
Trump and Kennedy, Trump has demonstrated "genuine concern" for
addressing the problem of chronic illness, ABC News said.
"There was a deep connection, and I think a realization
about the importance of the issue," stated a source.
Kennedy made his speech in a ballroom at a hotel located in downtown Phoenix.
Numerous employees and prominent supporters had flown in last-minute to attend
the hurriedly planned event.
In April 2023, Kennedy launched his presidential campaign as a Democrat to take
on President Joe Biden. However, he subsequently withdrew from the race and
departed from the party his family has always supported to follow an
independent course. Nicole Shanahan, a lawyer from Silicon Valley, was his
choice for running partner.
Kennedy was disliked by many Democrats due to his doubts
about vaccinations and his divisive remarks over COVID-19. He also frequently
disagreed with the DNC over what he saw as an unjust primary process.
His own family members also took issue with his political candidacy and
beliefs. While Kennedy was still running, fifteen members of the Kennedy family
openly supported Joe Biden during a Philadelphia campaign rally.
A joint statement endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and her campaign
companion, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was issued by five of his siblings on
Friday.
"We envision a more optimistic future for
America, one characterized by economic opportunity, individual freedom, and a
sense of patriotism. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry
Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, and Rory Kennedy declared, "We believe in Harris
and Walz."
"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 stated.
"It is a sad conclusion to a sad chapter."