Last week, Independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was suspending his campaign and fully backing Republican candidate Donald Trump's return to the White House.
RFK Jr., the son of the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy, clarified that although his campaign was on hold, it wasn't over.
He said his name would remain on the ballot in most red and blue states and be removed from key swing states.
The decision infuriated his now-former buddy, actor Billy Baldwin, 61, who penned a lengthy social media tirade against him and declared their friendship over.
You can read the full post here.
Baldwin is the brother of actors Alec, Daniel, and Stephen. His first featured film was 1990's Internal Affairs, and he emerged as a star with films like Flatliners (1990) and Backdraft (1991).
On Sunday, the Northern Rescue actor wrote a fiery rant on X (formerly Twitter) to express his profound disappointment.
“I have known Bobby Kennedy Jr. for decades. We were friends. I loved his politics. His speeches inspired me," he began.
"We were neighbors. Our kids were friends. We carpooled the kids to school for a few years."
He continued highlighting the environmental lawyer's path toward politics, noting that he's had “presidential ambitions his entire adult life."
"In 2006, when Bobby was 53 years old, New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer left office to run for Governor. Bobby Kennedy considered running for that office. This position could have quickly led him to either the US Senate or Governor of New York and a potential path to the presidency."
"He ultimately didn't run citing that his 'responsibilities to his six children from two marriages had left him with expenses that simply couldn’t be covered by a government salary.' There were other reasons."
"In 2008, when Bobby was 54 years old, Hillary Clinton vacated her New York Senate seat to become Barack Obama's Secretary of State... this was another feasible path for Bobby to fulfill his presidential ambitions."
"That didn't happen according to Bobby because... 'I have spent lots of time thinking about it. I have spent time talking with my uncle, my brothers, my cousin and, of course, my wife. And I think I’m in a good position right now doing what I’m doing.' There were other reasons."
Baldwin said RFK Jr., who turned 70 in January, committed to run in the 2024 presidential election because he saw “the window of opportunity for his presidential aspirations closing" and that it was "now or never" to run for office.
Some of RFK Jr.'s controversies, like his hard anti-vaccination stance and rejection of health advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, did not go unmentioned.
"He takes some conspiratorial positions on COVID, vaccinations and Dr. Fauci which tapped into MAGA's frustration and anger with the pandemic, the economy, establishment politics, and the white majority sunsetting into the minority... which leads him to get into bed with Roger Stone, Mike Flynn, Steve Bannon... and ultimately Trump."
Cut to the present, Baldwin was not happy about RFK Jr.'s decision to pause his campaign and throw all of his support behind Trump.
"At 70 years old, running for President was the desperate move of a man who had presidential ambitions but saw the door rapidly closing on the opportunity for him to hold any political office. It was a Hail Mary," he wrote.
Baldwin continued:
“For him to end his pursuit of the presidency and endorse Trump is not only a betrayal of the values and traditions of the Kennedy family but it is also a cynical, hypocritical betrayal of his own political beliefs and personal feelings about Trump which have been publicly documented for years and years."
He referred to RFK Jr.'s endorsement of Trump as an example of "political cowardice," adding that he has "sold his political soul and desecrated the historic work and legacy of his father Robert, and his uncle President John Kennedy."
Baldwin shared statements echoing similar disappointment from five Kennedy siblings who have expressed support for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign.
"Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story," read a statement from the Kennedy family, while RFK Jr.'s sister Kerry wrote:
"I am disgusted by my brother’s obscene embrace of Donald Trump. And I completely disavow and dissociate myself from Robert Kennedy Jr. and his flagrant efforts to desecrate my father's memory."
Baldwin concluded his rant with:
"I too completely disavow and dissociate myself from Bobby Kennedy Jr."
Others shared in the political betrayal.
Following RFK Jr's announcement last week, Trump acknowledged the endorsement from him during a rally in Arizona.
“I want to thank Bobby. That was very nice. That’s big," he said, adding, "He’s a great guy, respected by everybody."
@WhiteHouse/X
