Donald Trump’s talk of running again in 2024 is seriously cramping the plans of other possible Republican presidential hopefuls, The Hill has reported, citing a Republican strategist and sources close to both Trump and would-be candidates.
“Trump is the 800-pound gorilla in the Republican Party right now. For the time being, everyone else is going to make room for him,” Alex Conant, former communications director for Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, said.
“I think if you’re somebody who is considering a 2024 presidential bid, in many ways you need to wait and see what Trump does because that will clearly impact what sort of campaign you run, if you run one at all,” the Republican strategist added.
Conant also expressed hope that although Trump has enjoyed a unique ability to capture media attention, his possible post-White House tweets will gradually come to hold “less news value” as time goes on.
A source said to be close to the Trump campaign dismissed these concerns, suggesting that although the President might play with the idea of running again for the purpose of attracting media coverage or helping him with his business empire, he probably would not actually seek a second term.
“It’s a matter of playing the long game,” a source said to be close to a potential 2024 candidate said. “No one is second-guessing their plans yet, but we might have to be a little more subtle about how we approach things - see what Trump does.”
Trump, 74, hinted at the idea of running again during a dinner party at the White House on Tuesday. “It’s been an amazing four years. We’re trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years,” Trump told the crowd at the Christmas-themed event. He would be 78, or roughly the same age Joe Biden is today, if he chose to run again.
Trump’s meteoric rise among Republicans in 2016 included a combination of controversial statements which he knew would attract media attention (such as accusing Mexico of sending drug dealers and “rapists” across the border) and attacks on his fellow Republicans with insulting but descriptive epithets. Trump famously branded Senator Rubio “Little Marco” over his diminutive stature and youthful appearance, called former Florida Governor Jeb Bush “Low-energy Jeb,” and blasted Texas Senator Ted Cruz as “Lyin’ Ted” over his perceived dishonesty. Trump attacked Democrats too, calling Hillary Clinton “Crooked Hillary”, labeling Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas” over her controversial claims of having Native American blood, and dubbing Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders “Crazy Bernie”.
US media have reported that Trump has considered a range of options for a 2024 run should he lose his campaign to challenge “fraud” in multiple battleground states. Last week, The Daily Beast indicated, citing three sources, that the President was considering making a formal 2024 announcement on Inauguration Day.
Earlier, multiple polls found that a majority of Republican voters would support Trump and his “America First” platform again if he ran again four years from now.
