Trump says he’s made up his mind about 2024, big decision is timing of announcement
by Jared Gans - 07/14/22 11:43 AM ET
Former President Trump says he has made a decision about running for the White House again in 2024.
The “big decision,” he told New York magazine in an interview published Thursday, is whether to announce before or after November’s midterm elections.
“Well, in my own mind, I’ve already made that decision, so nothing factors in anymore. In my own mind, I’ve already made that decision,” he said.
He added, “Do I go before or after? That will be my big decision.”
Trump said announcing before the midterms could come with an advantage, dissuading other potential candidates from launching their own campaigns.
“Let people know. I think a lot of people would not even run if I did that because, if you look at the polls, they don’t even register. Most of these people,” he said. “And I think that you would actually have a backlash against them if they ran. People want me to run.”
He also said wasn’t worried about other potential 2024 GOP candidates and that he didn’t consider Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely considered the top Republican contender should Trump not run, a rival.
Multiple sources told The Hill earlier this month that Trump and his allies have discussed making an announcement about his campaign status as early as this summer, and multiple news outlets reported that Trump was considering launching his campaign this month, possibly around the Fourth of July.
But some advisers pushed against an earlier announcement, with one source telling The Hill there is no rush because Trump remains popular and influential in the Republican Party.
One person knowledgeable about the discussions told New York magazine that Trump was prepared to announce his run on July 4, but allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) were opposed to the idea because it would cause him to take responsibility for the midterm elections in November.
In his interview, Trump denied considering a July 4 announcement.
“I never said I was going to. That was just fake news. Somebody said that I was going to,” he said. “I don’t think it was any of our people.”
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3559279-trump-says-hes-made-up-his-mind-about-2024-big-decision-is-if-announcement-is-before-or-after-midterms/
