In perhaps the strongest sign yet that Donald Trump is planning another White House bid, the former president told New York Magazine in a new interview that he is still deciding when — and not whether — to announce a campaign in 2024.
“I would say my big decision will be whether I go sooner or later,” Trump said in an interview published on Thursday, apparently referring to the midterm elections in November.
“Am I going before or after? That will be my big decision,” Trump added, after confirming he “has already made that decision” when asked if he plans to run.
These latest comments confirm previous reports by CNN about the behind-the-scenes deliberations consuming Trump’s inner circle as the former president and his top aides ponder when he should jump into the 2024 Republican presidential primaries to maximize the impact of his announcement — and deter potential GOP rivals from challenging him. it.
“I don’t think a lot of people would even run if I did that because if you look at the polls, they don’t even register,” Trump said.
One of those Republicans is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, an emerging hero among grassroots conservatives whose own actions — including his refusal to publicly dismiss a primary challenge to Trump — strongly indicated that he, too, may have his eye on the White House.
Trump has previously told advisers that he believes he would easily defeat the Florida Republican in a primary, as well as highlighting his own enduring popularity among the GOP base in recent statements and posts on his Truth Social website.
Within Trump’s orbit, advisers are divided over whether a pre-midterm announcement could weaken Republican chances mid-term, reorienting the dominant political conversation on Trump – a deeply divisive figure whose continuing false claims about the 2020 election could compromise. vulnerable GOP candidates who want to keep voters focused on their current economic woes.
While aides believe he is banking on running again, CNN previously reported that Trump’s indecision over the timing of a campaign announcement has rated some aides.
“Each day is different. We are told he will announce soon, and in the afternoon, that has changed,” said a source with knowledge.
Meanwhile, a person close to Trump said that if he doesn’t announce this month, the most likely alternative would be to launch a campaign in September, around Labor Day.
Source: CNN Brasil
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