WASHINGTON - Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Friday the decision to drop out the race and endorse former president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.
During a speech in Arizona on Friday afternoon, Kennedy said that both the media and Democrats had conspired to impede his prospects of becoming a viable contender.
"Many months ago I promised the American people I would withdraw from the race if I became a spoiler. ... In my heart, I no longer believe I have a realistic path to electoral victory," he said.
Free speech, the conflict in Ukraine, and "the war on our children", he said, are the principled causes that persuaded him to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent, and now to throw his support to Trump.
Kennedy, the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy and the son of former attorney general Robert Kennedy, gained recognition initially as an environmental lawyer and later as a prominent anti-vaccine advocate.
He had sought to run as a Democratic candidate in the party's primary. In October 2023, however, he decided to pursue an independent bid. For months, Kennedy's campaign faced challenges, casting doubt on his viability.
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On top of that, the candidate was also making negative headlines, including reports that he staged a fake bicycle accident in New York's Central Park using a dead bear he found on the roadside.
Kennedy's decision to support Trump follows weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, according to US media.
According to NBC News, an individual familiar with the discussions revealed that Donald Trump Jr. had been actively engaged in efforts to secure Kennedy's endorsement for his father over a span of six months. Another source mentioned that Trump Jr. perceived Kennedy's participation in the race as detrimental to the GOP campaign.
Kennedy's announcement came just one day after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where US Vice-President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Kennedy's endorsement of Trump holds significance, considering the closely contested race between Harris and Trump in crucial swing states that could ultimately determine the election outcome.
Based on the most recent polling data compiled by Real Clear Politics, Harris holds a narrow lead of 1.0 percentage point in Wisconsin and a 2.0 percentage point lead in Michigan over Trump.
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However, in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona, Harris trails by margins of 0.2 percentage points, 0.9 percentage points, and 0.2 percentage points, respectively.
