A post made to X by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was simple enough, but has sparked speculation about his future.
“I am going to address the nation this Friday,” was all Kennedy wrote on the social platform formerly known as Twitter. A graphic containing the where and when was attached.
Stefanie Spear, Kennedy’s press secretary, gave a little more information in her post Wednesday, describing Friday’s address in Phoenix as “the present historic moment and his path forward.”
Independent Presidential Candidate @RobertKennedyJr will address the nation live on Friday about the present historical moment and his path forward.
— Stefanie Spear (@StefanieSpear) August 21, 2024https://t.co/i8gVV96xYW
The announcement comes on the heels of Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s running mate, saying it was possible Kennedy would abandon his run for the White House and, in exchange, would endorse Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and possibly garner a place in his administration, per Fox News.
When ABC News asked Kennedy about endorsing Trump, he said, “I will not confirm or deny that.”
“We are not talking about any of that,” he added.
Sources have told ABC News he plans to drop out of the race and back Trump.
Amaryllis Fox, Kennedy’s campaign manager, thanked senior staff members for their hard work in an email Wednesday morning, but added a final decision had not been made.
“For the last 19 months (22 months for the original core), this team — this family — has worked seven days a week, ten plus hours a day, in blizzards and blazing heat, sacrificing family time, personal commitments, and any hope of sleep, in service to our shared vision for this country,” she wrote, per Fox News. “Never, in all these months, has Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sidestepped his movement to communicate his heart through back-channel leaks. Nor would he ever, especially in this most consequential moment for us all. So please, hold tight until you hear directly from him.”
“There are a couple potential paths forward, not only two, and I can bear witness to the care, examination that Bobby has invested in the consideration of each,” Fox’s email read, according to the ABC News source.
Trump will also be in Arizona Friday and is holding a rally in Glendale, about 20 minutes from Phoenix, per Fox News.
Kennedy’s campaign has failed to gain momentum with Kennedy only garnering 6% of the vote compared to the 45% by Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, seemed open to the idea of Kennedy joining the campaign Wednesday morning on “Fox and Friends.” He also bashed the Democratic Party.
“I think it would be good for the campaign,” Vance said. “I’ve never talked to RFK about this, but my pitch to him and to a lot of his voters would be the Democratic Party of my grandparents that supported his uncle, John F. Kennedy, for president, has been completely abandoned by the modern leadership of the Democratic Party.”
Kennedy also lashed out toward Harris and how she got to be the Democratic pick.
Kennedy told ABC News, “I think it was a coronation, it’s not democracy. Nobody voted. Who chose Kamala? It wasn’t voters.”
On Wednesday, Trump told Fox Business he hadn’t spoken with Kennedy, but would welcome his endorsement.
“I haven’t, but I respect him. I’ve respected him for a long time. I mean, I know where he’s coming from and it’s a little different philosophy. Very smart guy, however. And I had heard he was thinking about it for a period of time, but no, I have not heard this,” Trump said.
“I would always be honored to. I mean, if he endorsed me, would I be honored by that? Absolutely,” Trump added.
