Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced today that he is withdrawing from the presidential race.
“I’m not going to stop campaigning, I’m just going to stop, I’m not going to end it,” Kennedy said. “My name will remain on the ballot in most states.”
But Kennedy said that after “profound prayer,” she decided to support and campaign for former President Donald Trump, saying her deep concerns about her chronic illnesses and Trump’s promises to address those issues if elected ultimately shaped her decision.
“I only have about 10 years left in my term,” Kennedy said, “and if President Trump is elected and keeps his promises, we will eliminate the huge burden of chronic disease that is plaguing our country and bankrupting us.”
Before endorsing Trump, Kennedy noted that while he could still win the conditional election, he would remove Trump’s name from the ballot in 10 states where Trump’s candidacy could tarnish the election results. “If you live in a Democratic state, vote for me,” he said. “Please vote for me.”
Kennedy also used his speech to accuse the Democratic National Committee of waging a legal war against him and former President Donald Trump, likening Biden and the committee to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and criticizing Harris for not doing unscripted interviews with reporters while he and Trump do.
“Are we still a model of democracy in this country, or have we become a kind of joke?” he asked. Kennedy said he had to drop out of the race because it became clear he was “handing the election to the Democrats.”
Signs that Kennedy and Trump were heading toward a political alliance had been growing for months. In July, Kennedy attended the Republican National Convention and video Reports have surfaced that Trump and Kennedy are discussing the possibility of an endorsement. Trump campaign donor Timothy Mellon has also donated $25 million to Kennedy’s campaign. Earlier this week, Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, said in a podcast appearance that: I might drop out And I support the former president.
On Thursday Post to XShanahan said Democrats are “frightened of the idea that our movement would align itself with Donald Trump.”
“MAGA Republicans positioned RFK Jr.’s false candidacy as a way to mislead voters and hurt the Democratic Party. RFK Jr.’s withdrawal is an admission that their ploy has failed,” Democratic National Committee spokesman Ramsey Reed said in a statement.
The Kennedy campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy will begin campaigning as a Democrat in April 2023 and then as an independent. October 2023and appeared to be a potential disruptive candidate who could significantly affect the election outcome. Throughout his campaign, Kennedy seemed to master the art of using whatever digital space was available to him. He appeared on podcasts and TikTok Live, and courted cryptocurrency donors. When he wasn’t able to take the debate stage alongside President Trump and President Joe Biden, Kennedy hosted parallel debates that were streamed online and on X, Over 9 million.
