Donald Trump speaks on February 28 at CPAC in Orlando, Florida.
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg
Donald Trump tells allies that he is strongly considering running for president again in 2024 – and close advisers want him to choose someone other than former Vice President Mike Pence for his ticket, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Trump publicly teased during the Conservative political action conference on Sunday that he was considering another bid for president. Privately, he discussed alternatives to Pence, as he makes an inventory of who he believes stood with him at the end of his term and who did not, according to two people.
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They asked for anonymity because the conversations were private.
Trump’s advisers discussed the identification of a black or female running mate for his next run, and three of the people familiar with the matter said Pence was unlikely to be on the ticket.
Two people have suggested that Trump consider the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem. Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, are hosting a fundraiser for Noem at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and home in Palm Beach on Friday. The former president is planning to make an appearance, people familiar with the matter said.
And on Tuesday, Trump issued public approval for the re-election of Senator Tim Scott in South Carolina. Scott is the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate.
Pence rejected his boss’ call to unilaterally reverse Trump’s defeat when he presided over the Electoral College’s congressional vote on January 6. vice president and members of Congress to flee. Five people were killed in the protest.
Mike Pence and Karen Pence arrive on January 20 at Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Kevin Dietsch / UPI / Bloomberg
The two men did not speak days later. According to a person familiar with the situation, Pence does not believe he would be interested in working with Trump again.
Trump adviser Jason Miller said “there are no such talks going on” about choosing someone other than Pence if he goes ahead again, and that the former president “has no decisions on a potential 2024 run” have not taken. ‘ A Pence spokesman did not immediately comment.
In Trump’s camp, there has been no serious consideration of future vice presidential candidates, the people familiar with the matter said. If he arrives, Trump will probably only make a formal announcement in the summer of 2023, they said.
During a rally outside the White House ahead of the deadly riot on January 6, Trump said he would win the 2020 election if Pence did ‘the right thing’ and rejected the election college’s votes for Joe Biden from several states where the former president claimed, without proof that widespread fraud had cost him the victory.
Na Pence refused, Trump tweeted that his vice president “did not have the courage to do what needed to be done to protect our country and our Constitution.” At the time, the mob was swarming through the Capitol, while some insurgents ‘hung Mike Pence’, while the secret service inspired the vice president to safety.
While Trump did not formally announce his candidacy at CPAC on Sunday, he hinted at his first public appearance since leaving office on January 20. Trump rattled off the achievements of his term in the White House, repeating his false claim that he won the 2020 election, adding: ‘Who knows? I might even decide to beat them a third time. ‘
Read more: Trump teases possible 2024 running speech reminiscent of 2016 themes
The former president’s public speculation about another run could effectively freeze the 2024 Republican presidential field, as many other prominent GOP candidates are likely to wait for the former president’s decision before announcing their own campaigns.
Trump is building a political structure that will serve as a campaign foundation should he decide to get back on track, including an existing political action committee, Save America, which accepts donations to $ 5,000 per individual. A new super PAC, which will accept unlimited donations, is also planned.
Pence was invited to speak at CPAC, but notified organizers weeks before the event that he and his family had decided to keep a low profile in the first half of the year. He said he is opening a transition office and plans to move back to Indiana this summer.
The former vice president himself is considered a potential candidate in 2024. A Harvard-Harris poll conducted Feb. 23-25 found that 42% of Republican voters prefer Trump as their 2024 nominee, compared to 18% for Pence, which took second place.
Without Trump, Pence led the field with the support of 36% of Republican voters, followed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz at 13%.
(Updates with Trump adviser’s comments in ninth paragraph.)