Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to drop out of the presidential race later this week, sources familiar with the decision told ABC News.
Sources tell ABC News that Kennedy plans to endorse Donald Trump — but when asked directly by ABC News if he will support the former president, Kennedy said, “I’m not going to confirm or deny that.”
“We don’t talk about any of that,” he said.
Sources cautioned that the decision is not yet finalized and could still change, with one source adding that Kennedy’s hope is in part to wrap things up quickly to try to dampen momentum from the Democratic National Convention.
One possible scenario being discussed is for Kennedy to appear on stage with Trump at an event in Phoenix on Friday, although the sources cautioned that Kennedy’s thinking could always change and sources close to Trump say no plan for Friday has been finalized.
Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox, emailed senior staffers Wednesday morning thanking them for their hard work — but hinting that a decision on the way forward had not been made, a source familiar with the email told ABC News.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaking at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville on July 26, 2024.
Liam Kennedy/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE
“There are a couple of potential paths forward, not just two, and I can attest to the care, research that Bobby has invested in considering each one,” Fox wrote, according to the source.
A spokesman for Kennedy wrote on the X that Kennedy will “speak to the nation” live on Friday to discuss his “way forward,” but offered no details.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy told ABC News regarding the Democratic convention and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, “I think it was a coronation, that’s not democracy. Nobody voted. Who chose Kamala? It wasn’t voters.”
He also complained about how his campaign has been treated.
“She went in four weeks from being the worst liability for the Democratic Party to the second coming of Christ without giving a single interview, without showing up for a debate, without a single policy that anyone thinks is not ridiculous,” he said. “That’s not democracy.”