America’s 2024 presidential race is showing signs of kicking into gear as Donald Trump finally hits the campaign trail, amid reports Florida’s right-wing Republican governor Ron DeSantis is now laying the groundwork for a White House bid.
DeSantis’ move prompted a direct attack on Trump as the former US president held relatively few keynote events over the weekend in the key early voting states of New Hampshire and South Carolina.
“Ron wouldn’t be governor if it wasn’t for me … when I hear that he might run, I consider that very disloyal,” Trump said, before condemning DeSantis’ actions in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
DeSantis began his time as Florida governor shadowing Trump, whose political message he closely emulated. But he has since emerged as Trump’s most formidable political opponent in the Republican Party, popular with many party officials who are wary of the scandals and chaos that have accompanied Trump’s time in office.
The Washington Post reported that DeSantis’ political team has already identified potential campaign hires in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, whose traditional early spots in nomination contests give them major influence in the race.
Citing two Republican sources with knowledge of conversations and staff meetings on the DeSantis team, the paper said the Florida governor is in close talks with two current and veteran members of his current team — Phil Cox and Jenna Peck — about possible senior roles in any 2024 effort. .
Bill Bowen, a New Hampshire Republican representative, told the paper that his state would likely be receptive to DeSantis. “I am confident that there is a good network of people in the establishment party in New Hampshire that will quickly make a very effective DeSantis campaign,” Bowen said.
DeSantis has lost ground in the Republican Party, which has led to conflict with Trump. He has sided with the extreme right, particularly on social issues. His state has banned LGBTQ+ rights and abortion, demonized more education in the state as a bastion of liberal power, and he has ratcheted up tensions over immigration with a series of political stunts.
In response to DeSantis’ potential presidential bid, Trump has issued threats against the governor. Last November, Trump warned DeSantis against a possible 2024 run, hinting at political blackmail.
“I think if he ran, he could hurt himself very badly. I really believe he could hurt himself badly… I’ll tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering—I know more about him than anybody else.” — maybe, except for his wife,” Trump told Fox News.
It was once widely expected that Trump — the only declared major candidate for the Republican nomination — would go largely unopposed. But a series of scandals, including meetings with white nationalists and the flop of high-profile Trump-backed candidates in November’s midterm elections, has seen his grip on the party erode.
Now a group of other Republicans appear poised to enter the race.
Trump also appeared to bless Nikki Haley, his former US ambassador to the United Nations, after she informed him that she was considering a 2024 presidential bid.
“I talked to her for a while, I said, ‘Look, you know, if you want to run, go out of your way’… She has said publicly, ‘I would never run against my president, he was a great president,'” Trump told reporters Saturday, CNN reports.
He added that he told Haley “it has to be done”.
In a Fox News interview earlier this month, when asked about her previous comments about not running for president if Trump ran, Haley replied that “America’s survival is important.”
“It’s bigger than one person. And when you’re looking at the future of America, I think it’s time for a new generation of change. I don’t think you need to be 80 years old to be a leader in D.C. … I think we need a younger generation. We need to come in, step up, and start fixing things,” she said.
Other former Trump cabinet members have also hinted at his presidential bid. Earlier this week, CBS asked former national security adviser John Bolton if he was considering a 2024 run. Bolton said the characterization is “exactly accurate,” the outlet reported.
Bolton also criticized Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, calling it “poison” for the Republican Party.
“I think Republicans, especially after the Nov. 8 election last year, he’s poison for the ticket. He can’t be elected president. If he were the Republican nominee, he would ruin our chances of getting a majority in the Senate and the House. I don’t think he would Republicans will be the nominee,” he said.
On Tuesday, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he will decide whether to run for president. Speaking to CBS, Pompeo said: “Susan and I are thinking, praying, trying to figure out if this is another place to serve,” referring to his wife.
“We have not reached that conclusion. We will find out in the next few months,” he added.
Asked whether Trump’s 2024 presidential bid had influenced his own decision, Pompeo said: “None.”
A host of other Republicans are also likely to eventually join the race, with people like Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.