According to a report from NBC News, Donald Trump is “bored at Mar-a-Lago” and is no longer satisfied with his status as a mere GOP kingmaker, and he wants to get back to being a candidate sooner rather than later.
Last summer, Trump indicated that he’d made a decision about whether he would run for president again, though he’s stopped short of making any formal announcement. He claimed that campaign finance laws prevented him from making his decision public.
“The campaign finance laws, which are antiquated and stupid — they’re corrupt in a way, but they’re stupid — don’t allow me to tell you that, okay?” Trump explained. Trump also mentioned that he “probably” wouldn’t announce until after the 2022 midterm elections.
“I am certainly thinking about it, and we’ll see,” Trump said. “I think a lot of people will be very happy, frankly, with the decision, and probably we’ll announce that after the midterms.”
“It doesn’t mean I will,” Trump clarified. However. “It’s probably appropriate, but a lot of people are waiting for that decision to be made.”
According to NBC News, an announcement from Trump could come as soon as the Fourth of July. Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich argues that there is a hunger for a Trump comeback. “America was strong, prosperous and greatly respected under President Trump, and that’s why he continues to have unprecedented strength through his endorsement record and the demand for his leadership has never been higher.”
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However, Trump’s advisers are divided over the timeline. Longtime Trump adviser and GETTR CEO Jason Miller believes Trump should make the announcement soon.
“I’ve laid out my case on why I think he should do it,” Miller told NBC News. “I think that there being clarity about what his intentions are [is important] so he can start building that operation while it’s still fresh in people’s minds and they’re still active — a lot of that can be converted into 2024 action.”
Two sources close to Trump say they were informally asked to hold Independence Day as a date for a possible announcement, though Miller disputes this.
Another adviser believes Trump should wait until after the midterms, but that he is nonetheless likely to jump in “sooner rather than later.”
“A betting person says he’s doing it, and he also wants to crowd out the rest of the field,” the adviser said.
Why would Trump make an announcement so early? Sure, he’s all but said he plans to run, but why announce so early?
I submit a two-word answer: Ron DeSantis.
While Trump has consistently led in GOP polls for 2024, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has become increasingly attractive to voters looking for an alternative to Trump, and has beaten him in two recent straw polls. DeSantis offers a strong, conservative agenda without Trump’s baggage.
The only benefit Trump would get from formally announcing his campaign this summer is to send a signal to other potential GOP candidates, particularly Ron DeSantis, to sit out 2024.
