Following reporting from the Washington Post that RFK Jr. met with Donald Trump to negotiate an endorsement in exchange for a cabinet position, ABC News reveals that his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, was aware and supportive of the conversation. 

In a new quote, Shanahan said, “I was aware of it and support American Unity and health. We are willing to speak with anyone on unwinding the corporate capture of our agencies,” she said.

Ben Braddock, a health commentator close to the campaign, told Politico, “There was a widespread expectation in the Kennedy camp that Trump was going to make the deal, which was why he stayed in Milwaukee for several days… As of last Thursday morning the buzz was that there would be an appearance on the final night. Maybe the Trump campaign decided it was better for Kennedy to stay in to bleed votes from Biden.”

Last week, RFK Jr. canceled all of his campaign events to play lapdog to the Trumps and cozy up to the GOP in Milwaukee. RFK Jr. and Donald Trump’s meeting was allegedly brokered by Tucker Carlson, who he later had dinner with. 

Robert F. Kennedy III— in a now deleted post— shared a video of his father and Trump speaking on the Sunday before the RNC. The video shows RFK Jr. agreeing with the former president saying: “We’re gonna win.” 

In an interview with Axios’ Mike Allen at the Republican National Convention last week, Donald Trump Jr. said that he’d “love” to see RFK Jr. endorse his father, and that “maybe there’s a great place for him somewhere in an administration.” Eric Trump also wasn’t shy about discussing the Trump campaign formally joining forces with RFK Jr. 

RFK Jr.’s allies did nothing to defuse suspicions of him working with the Trumps. In fact, they encouraged it. In an interview with Focus Today, Tony Lyons, co-founder of RFK Jr.’s Super PAC, admitted RFK Jr. would take a cabinet position in a second Trump administration. 

ICYMI: ABC News: Trump discussed with RFK Jr. potential role in 2nd Trump administration: Sources

By: Will McDuffie and Olivia Rubin 

• Former President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke multiple times in the span of a few days this month, multiple people familiar with the conversations told ABC News, including an in-person meeting in Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention where the two presidential candidates discussed ways Kennedy could be involved in a second Trump administration.
• At least one idea floated, according to two people with knowledge of the talks, was for Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic who speaks often about the perils of chronic disease, to oversee the Health and Human Services Department under a possible Trump administration.
• Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s running mate, told ABC News in a statement that she was aware of Kennedy’s dialogue with Trump this month, and was supportive.
• “I was aware of it and support American Unity and health. We are willing to speak with anyone on unwinding the corporate capture of our agencies,” she said.

ICYMI: Politico: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggles to gain traction amid unification on both sides

By: Brittany Gibson 

• But Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is nowhere to be seen.
• Instead of campaigning, the independent challenger has canceled multiple campaign events and discussed dropping out of the race and backing Trump. Instead of raising serious donations, he’s continuing to rely on his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, and set up a joint fundraising committee with the Libertarian Party. Instead of moving up in the polls, where he’s been stagnant for months, Kennedy has called for himself to be picked as the Democratic nominee to replace Biden.
• Kennedy, who was once seen as a historic outside disruptor to the presidential race, remains a threat — if he can be a spoiler in a few key states in a close presidential race.
• But far from trying to capitalize on the moment of upheaval, Kennedy had to issue a statement on social media during the Republican National Convention last week to deny he was leaving the race — after he took a private meeting in Milwaukee with Trump to discuss dropping out. 
• But new details about the meeting, which was facilitated by Tucker Carlson, suggest that Kennedy was considering suspending his campaign in exchange for a potential job in a second Trump administration. The two discussed the possibility of a job with a health-related portfolio in exchange for the political family scion’s support, according to a person familiar with the conversation granted anonymity to discuss the private meeting.
• “There was a widespread expectation in the Kennedy camp that Trump was going to make the deal, which was why he stayed in Milwaukee for several days,” said Ben Braddock, a health commentator close to the campaign. “As of last Thursday morning the buzz was that there would be an appearance on the final night. Maybe the Trump campaign decided it was better for Kennedy to stay in to bleed votes from Biden.”