On Tuesday night, former President Donald Trump revealed that he would seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. He hopes to become the second president to be elected to two non-consecutive terms.
Trump told supporters at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, where his campaign would be based, that he was “making America great and magnificent again” by running for president.
Trump made a somewhat modest address, accompanied by pals, advisors, and conservative influencers, riddled with false and inflated claims about his four terms in charge. To rally Republicans showing symptoms of Trump weariness after the elections, he regularly compared the policies of the outgoing Biden administration and the present economic conditions to the successes of his first term. From harsh immigration policies to corporate tax cuts to religious freedom programs, many of these purported successes remain very divisive to this day.
While addressing a room full of Republicans who believe he could face primary opponents in the coming months, Trump said the GOP could not choose “a politician or conventional candidate” if it wants to regain the White House.
Trump said, “This will not be my campaign; this will be our campaign.”
Trump’s long-awaited form of creative work as he seeks to retake the limelight after the GOP’s disappointing showing in the midterm elections, which included the losses of numerous Trump-endorsed election skeptics and the blame game that has ensued since Election Day. Trump and other Republican party leaders have been forced into a defensive stance in the face of criticism from within their ranks after the party failed to win a majority in the Senate, its failure to fill several statewide seats, and its failure to secure a majority in the House, with only 215 races called in their favor so far out of the 218 needed.
Trump’s papers formally declaring his candidacy arrived at the Federal Election Committee just before he announced it at Mar-a-Lago.
Having the upper hand before others
Advisors say Trump hopes that by getting out in front early, he might discourage would-be primary challengers and gain favor with wealthy contributors. His campaign is likely to be attacked by Republicans of all ideological stripes, though some may reevaluate their strategies in light of his entry into the race. Others, such as his ex-Vice President Mike Pence, may go forward.
The timing of Trump’s third run for president coincides with an increased risk of legal trouble as Justice Department officials re-examine the possibility of indictments in their investigations of Trump and his associates. The former president is now under investigation for his actions leading up to and during the assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and for keeping sensitive government papers at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office. Although Trump expects to cruise to the Republican nomination thanks to strong support from party members, his statement will likely disappoint party officials who have been hoping for new blood. Republican leaders are particularly interested in what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis does next after he easily won reelection with a 19-point margin of victory and significant support from minorities and independents. Some in the GOP establishment may attempt to derail Trump’s ambition for the White House by supporting or promoting a different candidate, such as DeSantis, who has been steadily setting the basis for a future run.