Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspends his independent presidential campaign, endorses Trump

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy announced Friday that he suspending his 2024 presidential campaign.

"I want everyone to know I am not terminating my campaign," he said during the press conference. "I am simply suspending it, but not ending it."

Kennedy will attempt to keep his campaign alive despite removing himself from at least one battleground state, Pennsylvania, and backing the reelection campaign of former GOP President Donald Trump.

"Three great causes drove me to enter the race in the first place," he said. "Primarily..these are the principal causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent and now throw my support behind President Trump....these causes were free speech, the war in Ukraine and the war on our children."

Kennedy has for weeks attracted speculation that he may drop out and endorse one of the major candidates in exchange for a role in their administration. 

Prior to his announcement, Kennedy Jr. said in a Pennsylvania court filing that he would be endorsing former President Donald Trump, according to The Associated Press.

During his speech, he criticized the current Democrat Party, arguing it was the party of censorship, war and corruption. 

Earlier this year, Kennedy Jr. secured enough signatures to get on the swing states of Georgia and Arizona. 

In April, members of his family endorsed President Joe Biden for 2024 over him at an event in Philadelphia.