Former President Trump released a video on Thursday addressing the exclusion of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the upcoming presidential debate. In the video recorded aboard Trump's private jet, he highlighted Kennedy's failure to meet the debate requirements.
Trump mentioned that Kennedy lacked sufficient support in national polls and did not appear on enough state ballots to qualify for the CNN-hosted debate. The criteria for participation included receiving at least 15% support in four national polls and being on the ballot in states totaling 270 electoral college votes.
Despite being the highest-performing 2024 candidate outside the Republican and Democratic parties, Kennedy fell short of meeting the necessary criteria by the deadline set by CNN. He only achieved the 15% support figure in three national polls and did not qualify for the ballot in enough states.
In response to his exclusion, Kennedy criticized Presidents Biden and Trump, accusing them of influencing the decision and labeling it as undemocratic and un-American. He expressed his commitment to being an independent leader who aims to break the two-party duopoly and address key issues such as restoring the middle class, ending the war machine, and tackling the chronic disease epidemic.
Trump, in his video, expressed his doubts about Kennedy's chances of qualifying for future debates, citing the lack of support and ballot presence as key factors. He mentioned that Kennedy's absence might impact Biden more than himself due to Kennedy's left-leaning ideologies.
While Trump stated that he would welcome Kennedy on the debate stage in the future, he emphasized the importance of meeting the established criteria for participation. Kennedy, on the other hand, remains steadfast in his mission to offer an alternative to the traditional two-party system and address pressing issues facing the nation.
