Trump thanks RFK Jr for 'very nice endorsement' as he 'suspends' campaign and backs former president

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Former president Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to Robert F Kennedy Jr after the Independent candidate announced the suspension of his campaign for the presidency and endorsed Trump.

Trump acknowledged RFK Jr's gesture during remarks at a Las Vegas restaurant where he also mentioned his upcoming visit to Arizona where Kennedy Jr is expected to reportedly be present.

RFK Jr suspends 2024 campaign: 'I cannot'

Robert F Kennedy Jr, who had initially entered the race as an Independent candidate after leaving the Democratic Party, revealed that he would withdraw his name from ballots in key battleground states while remaining on others.

In a news conference held in Arizona, Kennedy Jr outlined the reasons behind his decision to support Trump, marking a significant shift in his campaign strategy.

"In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path of electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control," he said, according to CNN.

"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,” he added.

Robert F Kennedy's campaign denies endorsement to Donald Trump despite support  

Earlier the Pennsylvania court filing had stated that the Independent presidential candidate was withdrawing from a ballot access challenge in the state “as a result of today’s endorsement” of Donald Trump.

The campaign, however, later denied it and said there was a mistake in the filing submitted by the lawyer and not reviewed by the campaign according to Washington Post. Nonetheless, his speech itself was no less than an endorsement.

Trump, however, took an opportunity to express his appreciation for Kennedy Jr's endorsement, saying, "I want to thank Bobby; that was very nice. He’s a great guy, respected by everybody," Trump said at a Las Vegas restaurant.

Robert F Kennedy Jr declares his 'support' for Donald Trump

During the news conference in Arizona, Robert F Kennedy Jr explained the three main causes that had driven him to enter the race.

"Three great causes drove me to enter this race in the first place, primarily, and these are the principal causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent, and now to throw my support to President Trump," Kennedy Jr said after announcing the suspension of his campaign.

Kennedy Jr clarified that while he would not be terminating his campaign entirely, he would be suspending it.

"I am not terminating my campaign; I am simply suspending it and not ending it. My name will remain on the ballot in most states," he said in Arizona.

"I encourage you to vote for me," Trump said. He also suggested that he could still end up in the White House under a contingent election if neither Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris received the necessary 270 electoral votes.

Robert F Kennedy Jr says Donald Trump asked him to join his administration

During a news conference, Robert F Kennedy Jr said the offer came during two meetings with Donald Trump, the first of which took place after an assassination attempt on Trump in July and the second meeting occurred weeks later.

"In those meetings, he suggested that we join forces as a unity party. We talked about Abraham Lincoln’s team of rivals, that arrangement would allow us to disagree publicly and privately and furiously, if need be, on issues over which we differ, while working together on the existential issues upon which we are in concordance," Kennedy Jr said.

Robert F Kennedy Jr's siblings denounce his decision to endorse Donald Trump

However, RFK Jr's decision to endorse Donald Trump has sparked criticism within his own family.

Five of RFK Jr’s siblings—Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, and Rory Kennedy—released a statement condemning their brother's choice.

"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," they wrote in a joint statement.

"We believe in Harris and 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," they further stated in the statement.