RFK Weighing Dropping Out to Join Trump, Running Mate Says

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is considering dropping out and joining forces with Trump, his running mate Nicole Shanahan said on Tuesday. RFK is expected to speak from Phoenix, Arizona, about the future of his campaign on Friday. 

Key Quote: Shanahan said, “There’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump…Or we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump…and we explain to our base why we’re making this decision.” Trump said he would be open to offering Kennedy a cabinet position and would "love" his endorsement. "He's a very smart guy. I've known him for a very long time. I didn't know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I'd be open to it," Trump said on CNN. 

For Context: Kennedy entered the 2024 race as a Democrat but switched to an Independent last October. Recently, reports surfaced that he sought a cabinet position with Harris, which he called “fake news.” 

How The Media Covered It: The New York Post (Lean Right bias) highlighted that Shanahan said she and Kennedy trust the Republican establishment more than the Democratic one right now. The Guardian (Lean Left bias) painted Kennedy negatively, describing him as an “insurgent” candidate and leaning into “anti-vaccination conspiracy theories” that interest Republicans.