It’s the rumor du jour, but a salient topic to investigate further. Former President Donald Trump continues to hint and tease at launching a 2024 presidential campaign during every rally stop. The question has been when and how would he launch such a campaign?
Typically presidential campaigns aren’t undertaken until well after the midterm elections, which would put Trump’s launch somewhere into 2023 per the traditional timeframe. Remember, back in 2015, Trump announced in June of that year coming down the escalator.
Sources within the Trump orbit now indicate the timeline could be sped up significantly with Trump itching to get back in the driver’s seat of a campaign.
Details and leaks have now emerged that Trump is inquiring about rally venues near the Governor’s mansion in Tallahassee, Florida, a direct dig at Gov. Ron DeSantis, potentially one of Trump’s chief rivals in 2024:
Donald Trump in recent months has been telling confidants that he may launch his 2024 presidential campaign early — and that he’s considering launching it in Florida to stick it to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Trump has kicked around staging a large, flashy launch rally (with fireworks, of course) that would announce his White House bid before the 2022 midterm elections, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
People who’ve spoken to Trump say that one reason he’s eying the Sunshine State is to assert his dominance over an ascendant DeSantis, who — if they both run in 2024 — would likely be the former president’s most formidable competitor in a primary fight for the GOP nomination. One of the sources said Trump’s motivation is to show the governor “who the boss is” in the modern-day GOP.
Trump, the sources say, has even asked some associates if they had opinions on any good venues or event spaces — that just happen to be located close to the Florida’s Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee.
The reports come from Rolling Stone, hardly a “friendly” publication for Trump, so it may have the intention of fanning a feud between Trump and DeSantis. On the other hand, it lines up with previous reports that Trump was considering launching a presidential campaign this July on Independence Day.
As has been the case, sometimes Trump rumors are very wrong, but sometimes they’re spot-on correct. It’s entirely likely that Trump is bored in Mar-a-Lago and wants to be full-time on the campaign trail blazing toward the next presidential cycle.
What about the possible dig to DeSantis with an announcement in his own backyard? Florida fits Trump, it’s a state he won twice, so an announcement there makes sense politically. On the other hand, to be looking for venues near the Governor’s mansion clearly has some loud overtones:
According to this person and another source with direct knowledge of the topic, Trump has also taken to telling those around him that DeSantis is “overrated” — or, even, “very overrated!” — and assuring advisers he’d easily crush the Florida governor.
Gov. DeSantis’ press office did not respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment on this story. Trump’s spokesperson declined to comment on the record.
There have been some quiet barbs flying back and forth between both men for months, usually in the press and from sources near Trump and DeSantis, rarely in public. When asked, both sides usually try to quell rumors of a feud since it wouldn’t be beneficial to either.
What if things reach a fever pitch and Trump is ready to turn this cold war with DeSantis into a hot war? What happens and who wins? We may end up finding out sooner rather than later. If Trump really feels so strongly about running in 2024 simply to take the spotlight away from DeSantis, it may be a long gruesome campaign on the Republican side. Think the Trump-Cruz feud of 2016 but ten times worse.
For the moment, Trump has a sizable backing and devoted following unrivaled by anyone on the GOP side. DeSantis has the benefit of being a sitting governor of a hugely pivotal state with several wins under his belt and offering Republican voters the “Trump without Trump” flavor of MAGA.
Basically, it’s the battle of MAGA versus MAGA-light, perhaps. Or MAGA versus diet MAGA with all the same flavor but fewer political calories?
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