On a Saturday evening in mid-July, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received a phone call from Calley Means, a health care entrepreneur who had advised him on chronic disease policy. Means suggested that Kennedy consider joining forces with Donald Trump, who had just narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Kennedy, who was running an independent campaign for president, initially declined the offer of the vice presidency.

However, after some deliberation, Kennedy agreed to speak with Trump. This decision sparked intense discussions within the Kennedy camp, who debated the potential benefits and drawbacks of an alliance with Trump. Some believed that it could give Kennedy more power to address issues such as chronic disease, censorship, and corporate influence in government. Others worried that it would alienate his supporters and damage his family's reputation.

At the time, Trump was not seriously considering adding Kennedy to his ticket. However, Means's efforts presented an opportunity to bring Kennedy into the fold and potentially reduce his appeal to Trump's voters.