Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering dropping out of the 2024 race to “join forces” with former President Donald Trump, his running mate revealed Tuesday.
Shortly after the revelation, Trump declared that he would be “certainly” open to giving the Kennedy scion a post in his administration.
“There’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump,” Nicole Shanahan, the independent candidate’s vice presidential pick, said during an appearance on the “Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu” podcast.
The other option?
“We walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump … and we explain to our base why we’re making this decision,” Shanahan said.
“Not an easy decision,” the 38-year-old independent VP candidate added.
Shanahan indicated that she would be more comfortable with Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), running the country than with Harris and Walz.
“If we are splitting hairs, I would say that I trust the future of this county more under the leadership of Trump and the [Peter] Thiels and the JD Vances than I do right now under Harris and the Reid Hoffmans,” she said, referencing GOP megadonor Thiel and Democratic megadonor Hoffman, who are both venture capitalists.
During a brief interview with CNN following a campaign stop in Michigan, Trump commended the independent presidential hopeful.
“I like him, and I respect him,” Trump told the network. “He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time.”
“I didn’t know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I’d be open to it,” he added.
A Fox News poll released last week showed Trump leading Harris by 1 point in a head-to-head matchup. The race, however, was tied when voters were given the option of picking third-party candidates.
Kennedy received 6% support in the expanded poll, down from his 15% November 2023 high and his 10% backing in July.
Just as worrying for Shanahan, more voters supporting Trump in the two-way race (9%) backed Kennedy when given the option than Harris supporters did (7%).
Shanahan further explained that as the Kennedy campaign comes to a crossroads, she has been focused on “a vision that goes beyond November,” noting that if Kennedy stays in the race and receives more than 5% of the vote, future independent candidates will benefit from automatic ballot access and public campaign financing.
“Technically, we could win,” Shanahan argued.
Trump, 78, reportedly met with Kennedy in Milwaukee last month, on the first day of the Republican National Convention, in an effort to gain his endorsement.
During those talks, the two men discussed the possibility that Trump could give Kennedy a cabinet or lower-level position in his administration, the Washington Post reported.
Those discussions reportedly sparked some concerns among Trump aides that Kennedy would not be a great fit for a position in a hypothetical second Trump administration.
Additionally, days after the failed assassination attempt against Trump, a video leaked of a call Kennedy had with the 45th president who was seeking to woo him.
“Anyway, I would love you to do something and I think it would be so good for you, and so big for you. And we’re going to win,” Trump said in the call. “We’re way ahead of the guy.”
Trump also raised some skepticism about vaccine safety — something that Kennedy has clamored over for years.
Kennedy later apologized for the leaked call and insisted that he was carrying on with his third-party bid for the White House.
The Harris campaign reportedly rebuffed overtures to meet with Kennedy. The 70-year-old independent was reportedly willing to make a similar offer to the Harris campaign.
“No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement,” a Democratic National Committee source told The Post.
