For months now, speculation has swirled as to when former President Donald Trump would launch a 2024 presidential campaign.
Earlier reports said Trump was originally toying with a July 4 announcement over the summer, but that timeframe came and went. Then, the next possible launch date was set for Labor Day. Again, the late summer holiday came and went with no Trump movement. It started to seem that the prospect of jumpstarting the 2024 campaign before the midterms were finished was not going to happen.
Now, according to an Axios report, some of Trump’s inner circle are gearing up for plans that could result in a presidential campaign launch on or around the week of Nov. 14, just days after the midterm races conclude on Nov. 8:
Former President Trump’s inner circle is discussing announcing the launch of a 2024 presidential campaign on Nov. 14 — with the official announcement possibly followed by a multi-day series of political events, according to three sources familiar with the sensitive discussions.
Why it matters: Trump and his top advisers have been signaling for weeks that a 2024 announcement is imminent. But those discussions have reached the point that allies are blocking off days in their calendars for the week after the midterms — and preparing to travel.
What we’re hearing: With polls pointing toward a good night for Republicans on Tuesday, Trump plans to surf the GOP’s expected post-midterm euphoria to build momentum for his own effort to retake the White House.
Announcing before the midterms never made sense. The entire political world right now is focused on control of Congress and a slew of Governors’ races around the country. Furthermore, once Trump does announce, he’ll be governed under different fundraising rules that will inevitably force changes in his political operations.
As with any potential Trump-related announcement, your mileage may vary and everything is subject to change. However, it does seem more and more likely that if Republicans, including many or most of the Trump-endorsed candidates, end up winning big on Election Day, Trump will feel more energized and motivated to capture that enthusiasm and relish the victory. If candidates like Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Don Bolduc win or come very close, the narrative that Trump’s brand is too toxic to win will be shown the door.
Then again, things are still very fluid, and we may not know which party will control the Senate on election night depending on how things shake out:
A Trump spokesman declined to comment. The discussions are still fluid and could change depending on Tuesday’s results, especially if the Senate still hangs in the balance and the Georgia race between Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock goes to a run-off.
Reality check: It’s Trump. So anything could happen — or not. He’s conflicted on the timing and nothing is ever certain. But people who have been close to him for many years are lacing up for the next race.
Without knowing how Tuesday will turnout for Republicans, it’s impossible to predict “yea” or “nay” on a Trump announcement in the third week of November. The timeframe could come and go with no movement but getting over the midterm hump will certainly open the door and remove the current impediment preventing a Trump presidential announcement.
It’s very much Trump’s intention to start the 2024 presidential cycle as soon as possible with the hope that his entrance will close the door for anyone else. That part remains to be seen but the overall plan hasn’t changed much.
If Republicans take the House and Senate, it might not be the only big political news happening in November. Stay tuned.
