Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his presidential campaign. RFK Jr. endorsed former President Donald Trump in a speech on Friday (August 23).
“In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless systematic censorship and media control,” Kennedy said. “So, I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them that I have a real path to the White House.”
Beanie Sigel, Geto Boys member Willie D and Hot Boy Turk supported Kennedy during his campaign. RFK Jr. was the most prominent third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential race.
RFK Jr. bowed out of the presidential race to avoid being a “spoiler” in the election. The anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist claimed he could’ve won the election if outside forces weren’t working against him.
“In an honest system, I believe I would’ve won the election,” he said.
RFK Jr. railed against the Democratic party in his exit speech. Five of Kennedy’s siblings condemned his endorsement of Trump.
“We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” the Kennedys said in a joint statement. “We believe in Harris and [Tim] 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. It is a sad ending to a sad story.”
RFK Jr. sought to remove himself from ballots in about 10 battleground states. Some secretaries of state have said it’s too late to remove his name. He urged voters in battleground states not to vote for him if his name remained on the ballot.