Donald Trump appeared to try to woo independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr in a leaked video of a phone call, where he also spoke about the assassination attempt, vaccines and babies.
In the footage posted by Mr Kennedy’s son Bobby Kennedy III, the Republican Party’s nominee was heard on speaker phone saying: “I would love you to do something – and I think it would be so good for you and so big for you,” apparently referring to the 2024 election race.
Mr Trump added: “We’re gonna win,” to which Mr Kennedy said: “Yeah.”
“We’re way ahead of the guy,” Mr Trump went on, referring to Democratic incumbent president Joe Biden.
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According to the latest national opinion polls, Mr Trump is on 42.4%, Mr Biden has 40.3% and Mr Kennedy is third with 9%.
The latter began the race as a Democratic candidate before declaring himself independent.
Mr Kennedy’s supporters are from across the political spectrum, including liberals, conservatives and independents, and some polls show he would draw voters from both men.
It has been claimed the call was made on Sunday before the two met on Monday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, amid speculation Mr Kennedy was planning to drop out of the White House race and possibly endorse Mr Trump.
On X on Monday, Mr Kennedy, who is also known by his initials RFK Jr, wrote: “Lots of rumours going around about my meeting this morning with President Trump.
“Our main topic was national unity, and I hope to meet with Democratic leaders about that as well. No, I am not dropping out of the race.”
His son, Bobby Kennedy III, posted the video of his father talking to Mr Trump and wrote on X that the call took place on Sunday, the day after the assassination attempt on the former president.
After his son deleted the post, Mr Kennedy did his own post on X, including an apology to the Republican nominee.
He wrote: “When President Trump called me I was taping with an in-house videographer. I should have ordered the videographer to stop recording immediately. I am mortified that this was posted. I apologise to the president.”
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Mr Trump survived an attempt on his life on Saturday, during a rally in Pennsylvania when a gunman armed with a rifle fired from a rooftop close by, grazing the former president’s ear and killing a man in the crowd.
Mr Kennedy is a son of former US attorney general and ex-senator Robert F Kennedy, and nephew of former US president John F Kennedy who were both assassinated in the 1960s.
After the Trump shooting at the weekend, Mr Biden ordered the Secret Service to protect Mr Kennedy.
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During the phone call, Mr Trump described the Pennsylvania shooting, saying the bullet that struck his ear “sounded like the world’s largest mosquito”.
The call also included a conversation about vaccines, which echoed some of Mr Kennedy’s earlier views.
The environmental lawyer has spread misinformation on vaccines for years.
Mr Trump said: “When you feed a baby, Bobby, a vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines, and it looks like it’s meant for a horse, not a, you know, 10lb or 20lb baby… and then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically.
“And then you hear that it doesn’t have an impact, right?
“But you and I talked about that a long time ago.”
The Democrat Party sees Mr Kennedy as an election “spoiler” who would take votes away from Mr Biden and would help Mr Trump regain the White House.