PTI
Washington, November 15
Former US president Donald Trump is likely to announce his 2024 presidential election bid on Tuesday from his sprawling Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, according to media reports.
A select group of Indian Americans invited for the potential presidential race announcement have reached Mar-a-Lago, to be part of what they view as an important marker in national politics.
Trump, 76, lost to President Joe Biden, 79, in the 2020 presidential elections. Trump and his supporters have not yet acknowledged the results of the elections and they were accused of massive voter fraud. Both the election officials and courts have not given credence to their allegations.
While the next presidential elections are still two years away, those close to the former president believe that his announcement would give momentum to the party and his ambition to return the White House.
Trump, who is seeking his third presidential bid, the previous two being in 2016 (won) and 2020 (lost), appears to be undeterred by the embarrassing loss of his supporters in the just concluded midterm polls.
Unlike an expected “Red Wave”, his Republican Party not only lost the Senate but also had a tough time gaining a majority in the House of Representatives which they were expecting to have a cakewalk.
A week after the elections, the GOP was one short of 218 seats required for a majority. By the time Trump announces his third presidential bid Tuesday night, his supporters are expected to get the good news of having control of the 435-member House.
“Despite signs of dissatisfaction with Trump, he enjoys broad grass-roots support, has tens of millions in campaign cash and a history of steamrolling competitors. He has reshaped the GOP demographically, attracting more working-class voters, and has fundamentally shifted the party’s policy approaches on trade, China, immigration and other issues,” The Wall Street Journal wrote on Tuesday.
While Florida Governor has gained popularity among the Republicans after the mid-term, Trump continues to enjoy mass support. Despite his announcement on Tuesday, the former president would have to win the party’s primary in the summer of 2024.
President Biden, who will turn 80 soon, has said that he intends to run but would take a final call on it towards the year-end or by early next year.
The Washington Post said there are expected to be notable differences from his 2020 campaign, advisers say.
“His nascent presidential bid is not currently expected to have a traditional campaign manager, with multiple advisers in top roles, according to some of the people familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal internal deliberations. Trump is famous for firing campaign managers,” the daily reported.
