Trump hints at 2024 presidential bid, repeats false victory claims

WASHINGTON: Former President Donald Trump told conservatives he was considering running for president again in 2024, as he reasserted dominance over the Republican Party and warned of a “struggle” for America’s very survival.

Trump made the remarks during a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida.  In a keynote speech, he repeated his false claims that he won the election and hammered establishment Republicans who voted against him in the latest impeachment drama.

But while he teased his future plans, he left the crowd guessing about whether he will challenge Biden in a rematch. “With your help we will take back the House, we will win the Senate, and then a Republican president will make a triumphant return to the White House — and I wonder who that will be?” Trump said. “Who knows?” he boomed about his potential plans. “I may even decide to beat them for a third time, OK?”

Banned from Twitter and other social media, Trump has maintained a low post-presidential profile at his Mar-a-Lago resort. At CPAC, he walked on stage to revel in a lengthy standing ovation by cheering loyalists, the vast majority without masks despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Like he did so often during his two campaigns, he painted a pitched battle against Democrats’ “socialist” agenda to remake the nation. “We’re in a struggle for the survival of America as we know it,” Trump said. “This is a terrible, terrible, painful struggle.” He said the “incredible” populist movement that propelled him to victory four plus years ago is just beginning, “and in the end, we will win.”

Trump also put to rest the rumours that he might take his base of support to create a new political party. “I am not starting a new party,” Trump said. “We have the Republican Party. It’s going to unite and be stronger than ever before.”

Trump as expected took swipes at Biden, saying the Democrat just concluded a “disastrous” first month in office. In his rambling 90-minute speech he attacked immigrants, slammed “cancel culture,” criticized Biden policies on climate change and energy, and repeated his false claims that “illegal” actions by Democrats had cost him the election.

He also took aim at Republicans he feels betrayed him — a strong signal that he will seek to help oust them in upcoming elections. He called out by name the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach him in the House of Representatives, and the seven Republicans who voted unsuccessfully to convict him in the Senate.

Trump remains the most potent force in the Republican Party, something he made clear he was acutely aware of Sunday when he described his own endorsement as “the most powerful asset in politics.”

US political parties usually face a reckoning after a string of setbacks such as those the Republicans saw under four years of Trump: losing the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The party is also marked with Trump’s repeated lies about his election loss, his impeachment over inciting the US Capitol riot on January 6, and the faultline his actions have caused between establishment Republicans and pro-Trump populists.