Crypto-friendly RFK Jr. suspends independent presidential bid

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Friday that he was suspending his independent presidential bid and throwing his support behind Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term as US president. 

The announcement took place during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona. Kennedy’s team, ahead of the event, said the speech would address his “path forward.”

“In an honest system, I believe that I would have won the election,” he said in his remarks, during which he sharply criticized the Biden administration. 

Rumors swirled earlier this week that Kennedy planned to drop out and endorse presidential hopeful Donald Trump. NBC News reported that the two campaigns were even plotting a joint appearance. The two were also speakers earlier this year at Bitcoin 2024. 

Earlier this week, Kennedy’s running mate Nicole Shanahan noted in a podcast appearance that their campaign had a limited set of options, which included staying in or “joining forces” with former President Donald Trump. 

Kennedy’s official independent platform focused on small businesses, bitcoin and blockchain technology — which he claimed are “essential to human freedom — and “tax fairness” among other issues. 

He, like Trump, also made an appearance at Bitcoin 2024 back in July. 

Kennedy told Blockworks earlier this year that he’s “happy” about Trump’s crypto commitment. 

“I think it’s a good thing for our country. Commitment to crypto is a commitment to freedom and transparency. I’m not going to question if it was a political decision, I’m happy he did it,” he said at the Consensus conference back in May.

At the same conference — way before President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race — Kennedy claimed that he could beat Trump.

However, his campaign has since faced a few hardships since then including slowing campaign contributions and losing out on some ballots, including New York.

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