The non-partisan presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy announced on Friday his withdrawal from the US presidential race and his support for former US President Trump.
He spoke of suspending his candidacy, but not completely ending it. Kennedy announced no longer appear on the ballot in swing statesin democratically controlled states he will continue to stand for election.
“What is happening in this country?” asks Kennedy, as he spouts his confusing theories about diabetes, autism and the military. According to Kennedy, highly processed foods are the reason for what he sees as the deterioration of the United States, as are “toxic chemicals” in the food in the United States.
At a campaign event in the state of Arizona, Kennedy and Trump appeared together. “We were a little bit on the opposite sides“, Trump welcomed his guest on stage in Glendale. Kennedy had approached him a few times during the election campaign, which he did not like. “But he is a phenomenal person, a phenomenal man.”
Kennedy told cheering Trump supporters that he had spoken to the 78-year-old “not about the things that divide us, because we do not agree on everything, but about the values and issues that unite us.”
“I think he will have a have a good influence“Trump said.
Decision with a run-up
The 70-year-old Kennedy had already announced a speech on Friday about the “current historical moment” and his “way forward” – in the US state of Arizona, where Trump is also campaigning in parallel.
Trump’s campaign team, in turn, had announced that Trump would bring a “special guest” to a rally afterwards. Kennedy’s vice president, Nicole Shanahan, had recently suggested a merger with Trump.
The nephew of the legendary former president John F. Kennedy has no chance in the presidential election – in polls he is only getting around five percent on average. But since Harris and Trump are neck and neck in polls, his withdrawal could benefit Trump and give the Republican crucial votes. If this setback comes immediately after the Democrats’ big coronation mass in Chicago, it would also take away some of the momentum Harris gained there.
