Donald Trump is expected to announce his candidacy for the 2024 US presidential election this month, several media outlets have reported after the former president all but confirmed his intention to seek the White House again.
Speaking at a rally in Iowa on Thursday night, Trump strongly suggested that he will run for president.
“In order to make our country successful and safe and glorious, I will very, very, very probably do it again – OK,” he told supporters.
“Get ready, that’s all I’m telling you. Very soon, get ready.”
On Thursday, Axios, CNN and The New York Times reported, citing unidentified sources, that an official announcement of a presidential run by the Trump campaign may come as early as November 14.
As the country heads to crucial midterm elections that will decide the makeup of Congress, the former Republican president continues to make unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 elections that he lost to President Joe Biden.
“This is the year we’re going to take back the House [of Representatives]. We’re going to take back the Senate. We’re going to take back America,” Trump said in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday. “And in 2024 – most importantly – we are going to take back our magnificent White House.”
As the home of the first primary contest, Iowa is the most popular campaign destination for presidential candidates.
If Trump, 76, runs for president, he would be an early favourite to win the Republican nomination, opinion polls show. So a 2024 Trump-Biden rematch is likely.
Other potential Republican presidential candidates for 2024 include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence and ex-UN envoy Nikki Haley.
Biden, 79, has said he intends to seek re-election although – according to several polls – many Democrats would prefer another candidate in part due to his age.
A presidential run by Trump would come at a time when he is facing numerous legal issues and investigations, including at least one criminal inquiry that could get him indicted.
Trump is locked in a legal battle with a congressional committee trying to obtain his tax records.
Separately, the Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into the ex-president’s possible mishandling of secret government documents.
A congressional panel investigating the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump’s supporters also recently issued a subpoena for Trump to testify under oath before the committee.
Trump, who was impeached twice as president, has denied wrongdoing in all the cases, alleging that they are political attacks led by his Democratic rivals.
The US Constitution limits presidents to two four-year terms in the White House. Grover Cleveland is the only US president to serve non-consecutive terms, having been elected for his second spell at the White House in 1892.
