Kennedy Jr, Trump discuss possible presidential endorsement

WASHINGTON: Robert Kennedy Jr found himself in yet another controversy, with reports surfacing that he engaged in discussions about potentially endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential bid in exchange for a role in his administration.

According to reports, Kennedy initiated talks with Trump shortly after an attempted assassination on the former president. The discussions reportedly centered around Kennedy managing health and medical issues under a Trump administration.

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Kennedy Jr is currently an independent candidate for upcoming US presidential election on November 5.

The discussions allegedly took place during a meeting in the state of Milwaukee, where Kennedy and Trump explored various positions, including cabinet-level roles and appointments not requiring Senate confirmation.

The independent candidate allegedly raised the prospect of withdrawing from his presidential campaign to endorse Trump, despite previously criticising the former president publicly. However, concerns among Trump’s advisers about the legal and optics ramifications of such an arrangement reportedly tempered any formal agreement.

Kennedy is known for his scepticism towards vaccines. He has campaigned on promises to reduce funding for federal agencies overseeing vaccines. Despite his stance, he expressed eagerness to engage in discussions about healthcare issues during this reported dialogue with Trump.

The alleged discussions between the two stirred huge controversy, especially as Kennedy faces challenges in securing ballot access in various states, including Texas.

Democrats in Texas have raised concerns about the validity of signatures submitted by Kennedy’s campaign, arguing that a significant portion did not meet legal requirements.

Kennedy’s campaign has defended its signature submissions, asserting that they exceeded the required number and were “rigorously validated” by an independent firm. Despite these challenges, the independent candidate remains adamant about his candidacy and has criticised the Democratic Party for what he perceives as efforts to undermine his campaign.

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Neither Kennedy nor Trump has publicly confirmed the specifics of their discussions, leaving the nature of their reported talks open to speculation.