Donald Trump is keen on running for something… but for what?

There is always excitement in American domestic politics; but only a few can provide an audience the kind of intensity that can be expected. And in the last five years the person who is Number 1 in this category hands down is the 45TH president, Donald Trump. He may be out of the political scene for the last 12 months but is in the news almost every day for one reason or another — if it is not a court case involving himself or one of his former aides, then it may have to do with speculation on his political future. And undoubtedly the part of Trump that clearly comes out is that he is the best “teaser” in town, never readily affirming or denying literally anything, however outrageous or scandalous it may be.

There are two things that the former president is capable of doing and something that he has indicated that he is indeed interested in pursuing; first is the most obvious since the conclusion of  last president election of November 2020 that Trump still refuses to concede to Joseph Biden. The former president has not said categorically in so many words, but all indications are that he will enter the fray in 2024; whether other prominent Republicans will challenge Trump for the GOP nomination is a story for another day. One speculation has always been that even if the Grand Old Party refuses to touch Trump with a barge pole, he may bolt from the party and run as an Independent or a third party candidate and in the process denting the GOP.

Also read: Too early to speculate on the future of Kamala Harris

When it comes to Trump, his thinking on critical matters surface only in bits and pieces; and with his Twitter and social media handles yanked from him several months ago the world is left only with his statements picked up by conservative circles and wires and occasionally tweets by associates and friends of the former President. But on the eve of Thanksgiving Trump teased his supporters on a possible run for 2024. “A very interesting time in our country, but do not worry, we will be great again — and we will all do it together. America will never fail, and we will never allow it to go in the wrong direction. Too many generations of greatness are counting on us. Enjoy your Thanksgiving knowing that a wonderful future lies ahead,” Trump said in a statement that was tweeted by his spokeswoman Liz Harrington.

Political pundits looked at Trump’s Thanksgiving message as some sort of a re-run of the 2016 presidential slogan of MAGA — Make America Great Again – even as other operatives were pointing to the fact that the former president had told Fox News earlier that he would wait for the midterm elections of 2022 to make a formal announcement on 2024. 

“I am certainly thinking about it and we’ll see. I think a lot of people will be very happy, frankly, with the decision, and probably will announce that after the midterms,” Trump said.

The hardened conservative followers of Trump are convinced that his win in 2024 is in the bag; in fact media reports have it that polling done by Republican insiders are showing Trump easily defeating Biden in the five states that put the Democratic candidate in a cruise mode in 2020 — Trump is seen now “whipping” Biden in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin between three and ten points.

And what would seem to further energise the hardcore supporters of Trump is that the former president has a two-point advantage over Biden in a national approval rating poll; and more number of Americans were opposed to Biden seeking the second term than Trump entering the fray — 64 per cent to 58 per cent.

The second possible thing that cannot be put out of Trump’s reach or serious thinking to some may seem quite bizzare — why cannot the former president run for the House of Representatives in the midterm election of 2022 and if the Republicans get control of the Chamber choose Donald Trump to be the Speaker of the House? Nothing will please the die-hard conservatives and extremists more than seeing Trump with the gavel instead of Nancy Pelosi or standing behind President Biden at the time of the State of Union Address. More than anything in charge of the House Trump could be the wrecker ball of all Committees and of the Biden legislative agenda leading up to 2024. Not long ago the idea of Trump running from Florida and going up all the way up in the House was asked by a radio talk show host

And Trump’s reply: “You know, it’s very interesting. That’s so interesting. And people have said, Run for the Senate, OK, run for the Senate, but you know what? Your idea might be better. It’s very interesting.”

And the best part of Trump being a speaker in the House of Representatives is that he does not even have to run for election. Constitutional scholars point out that a party that commands a majority can anoint anyone as its leader. So much for even Trump wanting to go through the motions of finding a safe seat in Florida for starters

Also read: Biden and Democrats are in denial and whistling in the dark

A day or week would seem to be too long in American politics; and in the present context politicians and media seem gripped over something that is going to happen a year and three years away. But Democrats and President Biden are aware of the fact the campaign for the White House of 2024 began the day after the November 2020 election was over. If anything the biggest challenge for Democrats is to make sure their President rises slowly and steadily from a 38 per cent approval rating so that the mid term 2022 does not end up in a disaster in the House and Senate as current indicators point to. It is better for the Democrats to be focussed on Biden than on Trump in 2022 or 2024.

(The writer was a senior journalist in Washington DC for about 15 years covering North America and the United Nations)

(The Federal seeks to present views and opinions from all sides of the spectrum. The information, ideas or opinions in the articles are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Federal)