Why Billy Baldwin Thinks Ex-Friend RFK Jr. Is Unrecognizable These Days

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that he'd be dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and subsequently endorsed Donald Trump, some were surprised, and some weren't. One can probably count Kennedy's longtime friend, renowned actor William (Billy) Baldwin among those who looked on in shock as Kennedy betrayed the Democratic values his family had honored for decades.

In his endorsement speech, Kennedy touched on his relationship with Trump and why he'd decided to back the former president. "We talked not about the things that separate us, because we don't agree on everything, but on the values and the issues that bind us together," Kennedy said at a rally in August (via Fox News 7) . "Don't you want a president who's going to get us out of the wars and who's going to rebuild the middle class in this country?" he added to loud cheers. Some might disagree that this is Trump's true goal, given the fact that he's previously promised tax cuts to the rich and has voiced plans to cut funding to Medicare and Social Security, something the Democrats have made clear will not happen if they're in the White House.

It's no surprise, then, that Baldwin took to X, formerly Twitter, to address Kennedy's endorsement of Trump and express his disappointment. He explained that, not only were they close friends once, but Kennedy used to be someone he looked up to. "I loved his politics. His speeches inspired me," Baldwin wrote. "Our kids were friends. We carpooled the kids to school for a few years." Now, Baldwin doesn't recognize the man who pledged his allegiance to Donald Trump. Baldwin explained that he always knew Kennedy dreamt of claiming the White House as his own, but his horror at Kennedy's decision to endorse Trump, someone the former Independent candidate had always loathed, was prevalent.

When Billy Baldwin addressed his former friend's endorsement of Donald Trump on X, he didn't mince his words, making it clear that the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. he used to know stands in stark contrast to the one who has abandoned his own presidential campaign to endorse someone who would make his forefathers turn in their graves. Baldwin detailed all Kennedy's missed chances at landing government positions that could have catapulted him into the White House, saying Kennedy's 2024 presidential bid was a last-ditch effort to make a lifelong dream come true. He also criticized his ex-friend for peddling unfounded conspiracy theories, especially those connected to the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccines, to gain the attention and votes of Trump's supporters.

"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," Baldwin wrote. "His endorsement of Trump demonstrates his political cowardice." Baldwin ended his tweet by saying that he no longer wants to be associated with his former (and once beloved) friend.

Kennedy's family members, who previously slammed his presidential hopes, reacted in a similar manner and took to X to share a statement in which they distanced themselves from Kennedy and made it clear that they abhor his decision to endorse Trump, calling it a "sad ending to a sad story."

Whether Billy Baldwin and the Kennedy family like it or not, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s endorsement of Donald Trump might well give the former president an edge in the November election. For those concerned that Trump's reasons for his 2024 presidential bid is more sinister than the general public would like to believe, this is not good news. Kennedy's running mate, Nicole Shanahan, told the "Impact Theory" podcast their campaign was concerned they might end up unintentionally helping the Democrats to win the election by taking up some of the electoral college votes in key swing states, hence their decision to drop out of the race. Political experts, however, say there's no telling who might benefit in the end.

"When it was Biden versus Trump people were looking for a third option," resident scholar with the conservative Institute for Policy Innovation, Merrill Matthews, told the BBC. "But with Kamala Harris coming into the picture and gaining the Democratic nomination, that has changed." Opinion polls have also shown that there's no clear evidence that the majority of Kennedy's supporters were necessarily of the right-leaning variety. Matthews further explained that, while Trump might initially benefit from Kennedy's endorsement and withdrawal from the race, it might not make that big a difference come November, especially since Kennedy's popularity was already declining by the time he pulled out of the race.

Kennedy might be rewarded for his loyalty quite handsomely, should Trump win. According to Robert Costa, the chief election and campaign correspondent for CBS News, Kennedy didn't give up his campaign without a fight — he's getting something out of it. "Sources close to Kennedy say he would not make this decision today unless he had some sense that he could end up in a high-ranking position in a Trump White House or a Trump administration," Costa said.