According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he will back Republican contender Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential contest and halt his own campaign.
According to Federal Election Commission papers released this week, Kennedy's campaign appeared to be running out of money, and his support was at 4% in an Ipsos poll conducted this month. Kennedy's campaign had only $3.9 million in liquid assets at the end of the previous month, and it owed almost $3.5 million.
Kennedy made clear in a virtual speech on Friday that he intends to have his name removed from the ballot in around ten crucial states "where my presence would be a spoiler"; he has started this process in states like Arizona and Pennsylvania.
While touring Las Vegas for a campaign stop Kennedy was thanked by Trump for the "very nice endorsement" and he promised to talk more about it at a rally in Arizona later today.
His support of Trump was viewed by Kennedy family members, who had previously voiced their opposition to the independent candidate's campaign, as "a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear."
In a unified statement, the five Kennedys said, "It is a sad ending to a sad story."
Early this week, there were rumours that Kennedy may withdraw after his running mate Nicole Shanahan revealed in a Tuesday interview that the campaign was considering its options.
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At the time, Shanahan stated, "We're considering two options: either we walk away and work with Donald Trump, or we stay in and form that new party, yet a presidency by Kamala Harris and Walz is a possibility."
Kennedy's plans to abandon his candidacy were originally revealed by ABC News on Wednesday, but sources at the time stated that a decision had not yet been made. This led to an increase in rumors.
According to Reuters at the time, Kennedy was trying to strike a deal with Trump in which he promised to give him a job in the Republican administration in exchange for his endorsement.