Former President Trump opened the door to the possibility of giving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a role in his administration if he wins.
Trump, the party’s nominee, praised the independent candidate on Tuesday amid growing speculation that Kennedy might drop out of the race and offer his endorsement.
“He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time,” Trump said in an interview with CNN about the environmental lawyer and anti-vax proponent.
“I didn’t know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I’d be open to it,” Trump said.
“I respect him,” he added, about Kennedy’s third-party rival.
The possibility of Trump-Kennedy partnership has been a topic for weeks as the two controversial White House contenders compete for the same groups of voters.
Kennedy’s vice-presidential pick, Nicole Shanahan, hinted at the possibility of a collaboration in a podcast that aired the same day as Trump’s comments.
In it, she told host Tom Bilyeu that one avenue she and Kennedy are considering is to end their campaign and back Trump with a joint endorsement.
Shanahan said that they have a choice to “walk away right now and join forces … with Donald Trump.” She did not indicate whether that decision was currently in the works.
She instead expressed concerns that staying in the race could potentially help Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz win the election.
Trump suggested that a Kennedy endorsement would be a positive enhancement to his campaign, which is currently running essentially tied with Harris’s.
“I’m leading in the polls, but not by as much,” Trump said in his interview with CNN.
