As predicted, former President Donald Trump announced his intention to seek the 2024 Republican nomination. The remarks were made during a live address from Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida residence, on Tuesday night.
BREAKING: President Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, announces his candidacy for re-election as president in 2024. pic.twitter.com/R7zBQmhLtk
— RSBN ?? (@RSBNetwork) November 16, 2022
Just before the speech, Trump filed the paperwork to officially declare his candidacy which now marks the beginning of the 2024 GOP primary:
Minutes before his scheduled 9 p.m. announcement from Mar-a-Lago, Trump filed a paperwork with the Federal Election Commission saying he was running for president in 2024, and setting up a fundraising account.
Trump had hoped to use a ceremony at his Mar-a-Lago home to seize credit for Republican election victories; but the GOP’s failure to take the Senate and struggles in House races scotched that plan and forced Trump onto the political defensive.
“President Trump is going to announce on Tuesday that he’s running for president,” adviser Jason Miller said.
Here’s a look at the official paperwork filed just before Trump’s evening announcement:
JUST IN – Trump files forms to run for President of the United States in 2024. pic.twitter.com/9ahlDZYzn0
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 16, 2022
The announcement does not come without criticism, of course, coming on the heels of several midterm losses where Trump-endorsed candidates came up short on Election Day. In recent days, with ongoing attacks on his potential Republican primary opponents, Trump has taken even more criticism from former supporters who now say it’s time for the party to move past the Trump era.
Still, polling gives Trump a sizable lead over his GOP rivals, though his grip has loosened somewhat in recent weeks.
The gist of Trump’s argument for his 2024 candidacy is built on his policies from his first term. He also made a point in excusing the midterm results by saying that Americans aren’t yet feeling enough of Biden’s bad policies but by 2024, they’ll be ready for a change. That may be true to some extent, but historically speaking, Biden was already in a tough spot yet was able to defy the midterm odds.
As far as his Republican primary opponents, don’t expect movement until well into the Spring of 2023 at the earliest. Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example, probably wouldn’t wade into the presidential race until after the Florida legislative session ends sometime in May of next year. In that regard, Trump will have an open race for many months to come where he will be the sole candidate attempting to keep the field clear.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
