Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Aug. 23 that he’s suspending his campaign and throwing his support behind former President Donald Trump.

“In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control,” Kennedy said in a speech from Phoenix, Arizona.

“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.”

Kennedy, 70, later said that he was supporting Trump, citing their alignment on key issues.

Kennedy’s running mate said earlier this week they were looking at possibly dropping out and endorsing Trump, and a court filing from the Kennedy campaign referenced a forthcoming “endorsement of Donald Trump for the office of President of the United States.” Campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear later told The Epoch Times that Kennedy was not endorsing the former president.

Kennedy has seen a dip in the polls in recent months, with many showing support for him consistently in the single digits. His campaign is also facing financial troubles. On Wednesday, Kennedy’s principal campaign committee, Team Kennedy, told the Federal Election Commission it ended July with about $3.9 million in cash on hand and about $3.5 million in debts and obligations.

Withdrawing From Battleground Ballots

Kennedy said in the speech that he was withdrawing his name from ballots in battleground states “where my presence would be a spoiler.”

He urged voters in those states not to vote for him, given his suspended campaign.

At the same time, Kennedy said his name would remain on ballots in the rest of the states and that voters could pick him over Trump, 78, and Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, if they live in those states.

“If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me without harming or helping President Trump or Vice President Harris. In red states, the same will apply,” he said.

Kennedy had been running as an independent presidential candidate after initially launching a 2024 bid as a Democrat.

Trump welcomed Kennedy on stage at a Friday night rally in Glendale, Arizona, after his campaign had promised a “special guest” appearance.

Backing Trump

Kennedy said in Friday’s speech that Trump asked him to be part of a potential Trump administration and that he’s met with him multiple times since Trump was shot in an assassination attempt.

“I was surprised to discover that we are aligned on many key issues,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said he is aligned with Trump on issues like ending “forever wars” and “childhood epidemics.” He also said they agree upon securing the border and protecting freedom of speech.

At a campaign event in Nevada shortly after Kennedy’s announcement, Trump thanked the independent for his support.

“That’s big, he’s a great guy. Respected by everybody,” Trump told the crowd.

DNC Responds

Kennedy, during his speech, decried how Democrats aligned behind President Joe Biden before Biden dropped out of the race and then nominated Vice President Kamala Harris without a primary. Kennedy also criticized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for backing lawsuits in a number of states, including New York, aimed at blocking him from the ballot.

“Each time that our volunteers turned in those towering boxes of signatures needed to get on the ballot, the DNC dragged us into court ... attempting to erase their work and to subvert the will of the voters who had signed those petitions,” he said.

The DNC cheered Kennedy’s dropping out of the race.

“Donald Trump isn’t earning an endorsement that’s going to help build support, he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate,” DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill said in a statement. “Good riddance.”

The Harris campaign sought to reach out to RFK Jr. supporters in the wake of the suspension.

“For any American out there who is tired of Donald Trump and looking for a new way forward, ours is a campaign for you,” Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.

“Even if we do not agree on every issue, Kamala Harris knows there is more that unites us than divides us: respect for our rights, public safety, protecting our freedoms, and opportunity for all.”

Tackling Chronic Disease

In his speech, Kennedy highlighted why he believes it is critical to tackle the chronic disease epidemic.

During the COVID pandemic, the United States had 16 percent of the world’s COVID deaths, though the country has 4.2 percent of the world’s population, he said. “We have the highest chronic disease rate on earth,” he added.

Kennedy talked about the prevalence of obesity in America that didn’t exist a century ago and how that has led to significant increases in cases of diabetes and other conditions. He also lamented the drastic rise in childhood neurological issues like ADHD and autism.

“Today, government health care spending is almost all for chronic disease, and it’s double the military budget,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy concluded his speech by saying that the “chronic disease crisis” was a primary reason why he ran for president.

“It’s the reason I’ve made the heartwrenching decision to suspend my campaign and to support President Trump.”

“If I’m given the chance to fix the chronic disease crisis and reform our food production. I promise that within two years, we will watch the chronic disease burden lift dramatically,” Kennedy said.

“If President Trump is elected and honors his word, the vast burden of chronic disease that now demoralizes and bankrupts the country will disappear.”

Janice Hisle, Austin Alonzo, and John Haughey contributed to this report.