On Friday, August 23, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Donald Trump during an event in Arizona, aiming to help “end the grip” of what they described as entrenched interests controlling the Democratic Party. This move is part of a strategy to consolidate votes for Trump as he seeks to gain traction in key battleground states.

Kennedy’s appearance brought an energetic atmosphere to the packed Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, matching the turnout that the Democratic ticket had received just two weeks earlier.

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and former president, modified his approach to deliver personal attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, after recent criticism directed towards him during the Democratic national convention in Chicago.

During his speech, Trump frequently mispronounced Harris’ name, assigned her a mocking nickname of “Comrade Kamala Harris,” and ridiculed her convention acceptance speech, accusing her of evading crucial topics such as inflation.

While focusing on Harris, Trump also reflected on the circumstances surrounding President Joe Biden’s exit from the race, noting his favorable polling compared to Biden.

“They rig their primaries. They force out Joe Biden, they force him out of the party. Joe Biden got 14 million votes and an unconstitutional coup, and they install a candidate who never received a single vote,” Trump stated.

This comment is a continuation of Trump’s familiar grievances.

He remarked, “They aim to arrest their political opponents and silence dissenters,” a point that resonates with his ongoing legal challenges from felony fraud convictions in New York and other pending accusations.

“Our opponents label us as a danger to democracy. ‘Trump is a threat to democracy.’ No, they are the true threat to democracy,” Trump asserted.

Trump assured his audience that he would protect Social Security benefits while also eliminating taxes on Social Security income. He reiterated his plan to remove taxes on tips, a stance that Harris has also supported.

Trump promised he would swiftly bring an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine before he returns to the presidency.

He has criticized Biden and Harris repeatedly for the surge of illegal immigration that occurred after he left office.

Kennedy admitted that he and Trump have differing views on certain issues but share a common goal: to change the current power structures in Washington, reminiscent of Trump’s “drain the swamp” campaign.

“He told me he wanted to break the neocon hold on U.S. foreign policy,” Kennedy explained to enthusiastic cheers. “He mentioned he didn’t want to finance any more $200 billion wars in Ukraine, indicating we could better spend that money here in the U.S.”

Shortly after, Kennedy seemed to incorrectly suggest that U.S. forces are engaged in overseas conflicts.

“Wouldn’t you prefer a president who aims to withdraw us from wars and restore the middle class in this nation?” he posed.

It is important to clarify that U.S. troops are not actively fighting in Ukraine or participating in Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

This rally resembled a typical Trump event but felt more urgent following Harris’s ascension to the presidency last month, where she has surpassed Trump in some polls within critical swing states like Arizona.

The rally concluded a two-day trip through Arizona and Nevada, which included a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Cochise County and ended with a 65-minute speech in Glendale.

Trump’s address was notably shorter than many of his past speeches in Arizona, which typically exceeded 90 minutes. This change appears to be a response to recent criticism on social media, highlighting that many supporters had departed during his speeches, leaving portions of the venues nearly empty.

Prior to Trump taking the stage, Kennedy announced the suspension of his independent presidential bid, attributing this shift to media bias and what he described as a corrupt Democratic Party.

Kennedy charged that the media had suppressed his perspectives while promoting Democratic messages. He alleged that Democrats were collaborating with the military-industrial complex to extend the conflict in Ukraine, which he claimed was something Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to avoid. Additionally, he accused them of facilitating the “systematic poisoning” of children through pharmaceutical companies contributing to widespread obesity.

“The mainstream media, which used to safeguard the First Amendment and democratic ideals, has joined in a systemic assault on democracy,” Kennedy asserted during a news conference in Phoenix.

Kennedy, who was hinted at by the Trump campaign as a special guest, received roaring applause and chants of “Bobby!, Bobby!” from the crowd. This enthusiastic response contrasted sharply with the fact that Trump did not mention his running mate, Senator JD Vance from Ohio, throughout his speech.

Following a July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump pledged to establish an independent commission to investigate presidential assassination attempts and to declassify remaining documents regarding President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. During his presidency, Trump had previously declassified a set of records related to the Kennedy assassination.