Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to suspend his 2024 bid on Friday after he was influenced by discussions between Donald Trump allies and his team — and being snubbed by Democrats — sources familiar with the discussions told The Post.
The Trump team is hoping Kennedy will endorse the former president at his event in Arizona on Friday where he will announce a “suspension” — but the backing is not 100% ironed out, per the sources.
A backing from the high-polling independent who has both Republican and Democrat voter support could push voters towards Trump in the close race with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Trump allies central in the discussions about an endorsement included Trump himself, his son Donald Trump Jr. and media personality Tucker Carlson.
RFK Jr. donor Omeed Malik also was key in connecting the two teams together, according to the sources.
Don Jr. was especially concerned with the impact that Kennedy would have on his father’s standing in the race, and had been pushing the Trump campaign to find a way to get the highest-polling independent out of the race, one source familiar with the discussions said.
The talks began about a week before the Republican National Convention in July, but concern only amplified after President Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, which threw a wrench into the campaign.
The possible endorsement of Trump is at least partially fueled by respect from Trump — and a lack of it from Democrats, according to a source close to Kennedy’s campaign.
“Democrats spent over $100 million [on lawsuits] to keep him off the ballot… these are anti-democratic people. That’s the high level motivation,” the Kennedy campaign source said. “They’ve spent money to not only get him off the ballot but keep him tied up in court… it’s politicization and weaponization of the court.”
Defending himself at court has drained much of Kennedy’s campaign funds — and tied him up to prevent him from campaigning.
Trump, meanwhile, treated Kennedy with respect, the source said, even publicly pushing for him to get Secret Service protection.
RFK Jr. had reached out to the Harris team about having a conversation, but not about a possible endorsement of her, sources add. They insist a Harris endorsement was never on the table.
Kennedy had planned to be at the DNC Monday and Tuesday of this week where he would attend a town hall on criminal reform put on by Pathways to Peace & Restoration as well as host a conversation with lawmakers about reducing violence with the Restorative Justice Peace Circle. Instead he was in court in New York and Pennsylvania.
“He just wanted to have a conversation. He was willing to sit down and talk but he was rebuffed. We were supposed to be at the DNC talking about prison reform and instead he has to testify in a court case.”
If Kennedy does end up backing Trump, he would be expected to be seen with Trump on the campaign trail, one of the sources familiar with the discussions told The Post.
While RFK. Jr is from one of the most important Democratic dynasties in American history, sources say he is far more aligned with Trump’s vision.
“They’re both anti-war and for free speech … the unity here is really interesting,” another source said.
The possible endorsement from the “big name” Kennedy would be a slight “boost” to Trump given the close nature of the polls between Trump and Harris, Democratic strategist Brad Bannon said, adding that Kennedy has had diminishing polling numbers in recent months. But the recent “weird” news about Kennedy — including him leaving a dead bear in Central Park and the brainworms — would feed Democrats negative talking points.
But in a tight race, an endorsement from Kennedy — especially a “full-throated” one would be a positive, Republican strategist Dave Wilson argued.
“Anything that could move the needle away from Harris is a benefit, especially coming off the glitz and glamour of this week’s DNC convention in Chicago,” Wilson said.
The independent has been dropping in the polls and is averaging 4.5% nationally, according to RealClearPolitics. The relatively small support could make a large impact in swing states that are critical for Trump to secure to defeat Harris.
Kennedy has tried to push through the two party system since announcing his independent run in the fall, but failed to get enough support to make the debate stage with Biden and Trump in June. Rumors about an impending Kennedy drop out have been brewing since Tuesday.
Kennedy’s running mate Nicole Shanahan hinted this week that the Democratic Party is not aligned with the independent and that they are considering backing Trump. Kennedy is set to make a campaign state of the race speech about 30 minutes away from where Trump will be speaking later in the day in Arizona.
On Thursday, the Trump campaign sent out a media advisory teasing a “special guest” at the rally in Glendale, where he’ll discuss lowering inflation and the cost of living and the border.
An internal staff email viewed by The Post showed Kennedy campaign manager Amaryllis Kennedy telling the team on Wednesday that they should “hold tight” until RFK says something directly.
“What I can tell you is this. Bobby has been in a period of deep discernment,” the campaign manager said in the email.
The 45th president has said he would be open to a Kennedy endorsement and would even consider adding him to his team.
“I like him a lot, I respect him a lot, I probably would if something like that would happen,” Trump told CNN in an interview on Tuesday about the possibility of adding Kennedy to his administration.
Trump adviser Brian Hughes told The Post at the DNC on Thursday that Trump and Kennedy have been in talks over the years.
“President Trump himself has admitted and shown, not shied away from saying that he has, over the course of months, maybe even years, had a dialogue with RFK so but again, that it’s that goes to who President Trump is,” Hughes said.
“What you get out of Kamala Harris and the Democrats is the party that’s trying to restrict access to the ballot for someone who’s the namesake of one of the most famous Democratic Party traditions there is. And while they hold themselves up as the standard-bearer of American democracy,” the Trump adviser added, pointing to Kennedy’s attempt to get on the ballot in all 50 states and facing difficulties.
Additional reporting by Cameron Arcand
