RFK Jr considers ‘path forward’ amid reports he will back Trump

Robert F Kennedy Jr is because of announce his “path ahead” amid reviews in US media that he’ll finish his impartial presidential bid and endorse Donald Trump.

Trump and his running-mate JD Vance mentioned they might help Mr Kennedy ending his marketing campaign to align with their Republican ticket in opposition to Democratic nominees Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

Mr Kennedy is because of “handle the nation” from Phoenix in Arizona at 14:00 ET (19:00 BST) on Friday, a day after he filed to withdraw his candidacy within the state.

Trump is because of maintain a rally in close by Glendale hours later. His marketing campaign mentioned it might embody a “particular visitor”, and Trump instructed Fox Information it was “attainable” the pair would meet.

The ABC and NBC networks reported on Wednesday that Mr Kennedy would use his handle on Friday to endorse Trump.

CBS, the BBC’s information companion within the US, quoted two sources as saying that he was “contemplating ending his presidential candidacy”.

Mr Kennedy’s withdrawal from Arizona follows feedback on Tuesday from his working mate, Nicole Shanahan, that he was contemplating becoming a member of forces with Trump.

Mr Kennedy mentioned quickly after on X/Twitter that “as all the time, I’m prepared to speak with leaders of any political celebration to additional the targets I’ve served for 40 years in my profession and on this marketing campaign.”

Trump indicated he was open to the thought of becoming a member of forces with Mr Kennedy, telling CNN: “If he is considering getting out, definitely I might be open to it. He is an excellent man. He is a really good man.”

Mr Vance mentioned on Wednesday that it might be “good” if Mr Kennedy dropped out and joined forces with the previous president. He clarified on Fox & Buddies that he has not spoken to Mr Kennedy in regards to the potential transfer.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, in the meantime instructed conservative radio host Glenn Beck that he would “love the thought” of Mr Kennedy becoming a member of a future Trump administration.

“I like the thought of giving him some form of position in some form of main three-letter entity or no matter it could be and let him blow it up,” he mentioned.

Mr Kennedy, 70, has confronted numerous hurdles in his longshot marketing campaign, from authorized challenges over getting his title on state ballots to funding his run.

Media reviews over the previous few months have indicated that he has provided to endorse Trump in trade for a task in his subsequent administration.

A leaked telephone name in July between the 2 candidates had Trump saying he would “love” Mr Kennedy “to do one thing” to help him.

Ms Shanahan’s feedback to the Influence Principle podcast on Tuesday started the most recent spherical of hypothesis. She mentioned he was contemplating two choices to fight the “threat” of a Harris presidency – dropping out and becoming a member of Trump, or staying in and forming a 3rd celebration.

She claimed the Democrats had “planted insiders” of their marketing campaign, “manipulated polls” and “sued us in each attainable state”.

“There’s two choices that we’re taking a look at and one is staying in, forming that new celebration, however we run the chance of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency as a result of we draw votes from Trump, or we draw in some way extra votes from Trump,” Ms Shanahan, 38, mentioned.

“Or we stroll away proper now and be a part of forces with Donald Trump and you recognize, we stroll away from that and we clarify to our base why we’re making this resolution.”

She mentioned it was “not a straightforward resolution” however added that she trusted Trump greater than Ms Harris with the way forward for the nation.

On the podcast, she rejected latest reviews that the Kennedy marketing campaign had been in talks with the Harris workforce a couple of potential endorsement or cupboard place.

The Harris marketing campaign chairwoman, Jen O’Malley Dillon, instructed Politico that she was not apprehensive if Mr Kennedy endorsed Trump.

“We’re very assured that [Ms Harris] goes to win whether or not she’s working in opposition to one candidate or a number of candidates. I do not suppose it is actually going to intrude with the race an excessive amount of,” she mentioned.