Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the suspension of his independent presidential campaign and threw his support behind GOP nominee Donald Trump. He cited issues such as free speech, the war in Ukraine, and the “war on our children” as reasons for leaving the Democratic Party and endorsing Trump. Kennedy stated that he no longer believed he had a realistic path to victory and did not want to continue asking his supporters for their time and donations if he could not honestly see a path to the White House.
The decision to endorse Trump was met with condemnation from other members of the Kennedy family, including his sister Kerry Kennedy, who called it a betrayal of their family’s values. Kennedy’s wife, actress Cheryl Hines, thanked volunteers for their hard work on the campaign and acknowledged their accomplishments. Kennedy clarified that he was only suspending his campaign and remaining on the ballot in noncompetitive states, but removing his name in battleground states to avoid being a spoiler.
Kennedy’s campaign had been seeking ballot access in multiple states, including Arizona, before his decision to suspend the campaign. He had already withdrawn his candidacy in Pennsylvania and was waiting for confirmation in other states. Despite the suspension, he will remain on the ballot in the battleground state of Michigan. Kennedy criticized the Democratic Party, accusing them of being the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag, and big money.
Chair of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, Jen O’Malley Dillon, appealed to Kennedy’s supporters after his announcement, emphasizing Harris’ commitment to fighting for working people and bringing the country together. Kennedy admitted to placing a dead bear cub in Central Park nearly 10 years ago during his campaign, and also received Secret Service protection following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania. Despite not polling well nationally, Kennedy hoped to make a difference in battleground states where margins of victory were thin in previous elections.
In recent years, Kennedy has promoted anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and was shunned by some members of his family who endorsed President Biden. His decision to support Trump came as a surprise to many, especially after transitioning from challenging President Biden for the Democratic nomination to running as an independent. Kennedy thanked his campaign staff for their hard work and dedication throughout the months of his campaign. Overall, Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump and suspension of his campaign marked a significant turning point in the 2024 presidential election.
