Former President Donald Trump has announced that if he is reelected, he will appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a new federal panel on chronic disease. Trump made this announcement during an August 23 rally in Glendale, Arizona, where Kennedy was also present as an independent candidate.
During the rally, Trump praised Kennedy for his advocacy work in promoting the health of families and children. He expressed his intention to establish a panel of experts led by Kennedy to investigate the root causes of chronic health problems and childhood diseases such as autoimmune disorders, autism, obesity, infertility, and more.
In addition to this appointment, Trump promised that if he wins reelection, he will release all classified files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy—Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s uncle.
Earlier on the same day as the rally, Kennedy announced that he would be dropping his independent bid for the White House and instead throw his support behind Trump.
Kennedy took the stage at the rally after being introduced by Trump amidst thunderous applause. He addressed the crowd and revealed that he had been in communication with Trump since an attempted attack on him in mid-July.
While acknowledging their disagreements on certain issues, Kennedy highlighted their shared goals of combating corruption in federal medicine and food regulation agencies, ending neoconservative influence on foreign policy decisions, and fighting against government censorship.
Kennedy’s decision to back out of the race comes as no surprise given recent polls showing a decline in his support from double digits to between 3% and 7%. Additionally, financial difficulties plagued his campaign with debts nearly equaling available funds by July’s end.
In a speech from Phoenix following his withdrawal from the race, Kennedy cited media control and censorship as factors contributing to his decision. He expressed doubts about having a realistic path to victory while facing these challenges.
The impact of Kennedy’s departure on the election remains uncertain; however recent polling suggests it could potentially benefit Trump. A poll conducted by Siena College and The New York Times found that uncommitted voters slightly favored Trump over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Internal polling conducted by the Trump campaign also indicates that among swing-state voters who previously supported Kennedy but are now undecided or unsure about their choice—Trump holds a lead over Harris in crucial states such as Arizona Georgia Michigan North Carolina Nevada Pennsylvania Wisconsin
As Election Day approaches it remains unclear how these developments will ultimately shape voter preferences but they certainly add another layer of complexity to an already chaotic election season