Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Friday that he would suspend his campaign and endorse Republican Donald Trump, a move that is likely to shake up the 2024 election.
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, entered the race in April 2023 as a challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. However, with voters growing disillusioned with both the aging Biden and the legally embattled Trump, Kennedy shifted his plans and decided to run as an independent.
In a surprising development, Kennedy’s campaign indicated that he feared staying in the race would siphon support from former President Trump, who is locked in a tight contest with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the November 5 election.
“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right thing to do for the country,” Kennedy said in a statement. “I want to thank all of my supporters, but I’m concerned that my continued presence in the race could inadvertently help the Democratic ticket. That is not something I’m willing to risk.”
The son and nephew of two titans of Democratic politics who were assassinated during the turbulent 1960s, Kennedy ran a high-profile advertisement during the February 2024 Super Bowl that invoked his father, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle, U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The ad drew outrage from much of his high-profile family, who condemned the campaign.
In exchange for his endorsement, Kennedy was hoping for a job in a potential Trump administration, a super PAC supporting Kennedy said on Wednesday. He also wanted Trump to allow his political movement to continue in some fashion, which could include staying on the ballot in some states.
The decision to endorse Trump comes after a series of controversies that plagued Kennedy’s campaign, including revelations that he had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago and a bizarre admission that he had dumped a dead bear in New York City’s Central Park and staged it to look like a bike had hit it.
Those stories prompted ridicule from late-night talk show hosts and raised questions about Kennedy’s fitness for office.
The endorsement of Trump by Kennedy, a member of one of the most famous political dynasties in American history, is sure to send shockwaves through the 2024 race. It remains to be seen how it will impact the tight contest between Trump and Vice President Harris.
