The presidential election is three years away, but former President Trump is already fueling speculation he might mount a third bid for the White House.
In findings that would be sure to please the former president, more voters said they would back Trump over President Biden if the election were held today, according to a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey.
While he has declined to say definitively whether he will run again, Trump has continued to host rallies and endorse candidates for races across the country, posing a challenge for other potential 2024 Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Here are five recent comments from Trump that suggest a third presidential bid is likely.
“The country needs it.” (July 1, 2021)
Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity at a July town hall in Texas that he had made a decision on whether he will run for president again in 2024 — though he didn’t disclose what the decision was.
The remark came just days after he held his first post-presidential rally in Ohio.
“It’s not that I want to,” Trump said when pressed by Hannity about the prospect of running again. “The country needs it. We have to take care of this country. I don’t want to, is this fun? Fighting constantly? Fighting always? I mean, the country, what we have done is so important.”
“I guess a bad call from a doctor or something, right?” (Sept. 25, 2021)
Trump suggested during an interview in September that the only thing that would prevent him from running again would be a problem with his health.
“Well, I don’t — I guess a bad call from a doctor or something, right?” Trump said on “The Water Cooler” show on Real America’s Voice, when asked what would keep him from seeking another White House bid.
Trump, now 75, was previously the oldest president to enter office until Biden earlier this year. If he wins in 2024, Trump would be 82 years old upon his completion of his second term.
“Things happen. Through God, they happen,” he told commentator David Brody on the show. “But I feel so good.”
“If I faced [DeSantis], I’d beat him like I would beat everyone else.” (Oct. 4, 2021)
If Trump decides to run again, he could face a crowded primary field — and one of his closest-watched potential rivals is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
With speculation swirling over a DeSantis run, Trump sent a possible warning signal to the governor, saying he thinks DeSantis would step aside to give the former president another shot at the White House.
But Trump didn’t express concern even if DeSantis were to remain in the race.
“If I faced him, I’d beat him like I would beat everyone else,” Trump said during an interview with Yahoo Finance Live released on Oct. 4.
Should Trump run, he would likely skate to the 2024 GOP nomination, according to Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll released Monday.
The poll, largely in line with other recent surveys, found that 67 percent of Republican voters would back the former president, with former Vice President Mike Pence coming in second with 9 percent and DeSantis coming in third with 8 percent.
“If you love the country you have no choice.” (Dec. 1, 2021)
In a December interview with British broadcaster Nigel Farage, the former politician known for his championing of the Brexit movement, Trump continued to hint at a third bid for the White House. Farage was the first British politician to meet Trump following his election in 2016.
When asked at his Mar-a-Lago resort if he would be willing to give up his more laid-back post-presidency lifestyle, Trump indicated an eagerness to return to Washington.
“I love our country,” Trump told Farage.
“If you love the country you have no choice. It’s not a question, this is a wonderful, beautiful life. But I liked that too because I was helping people. That’s why I did it. And I think you’ll be happy in the future too,” he said.
Trump also told Farage that many Republican candidates running in next year’s midterm elections are asking for his endorsement.
“If I do decide [not to run again], I think my base is going to be very angry.” (Dec. 8, 2021)
In an interview with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt Wednesday, Trump said he’ll see what happens “right after the midterms.”
“I think we have a couple of people that are, would be very good, but it’s, you know, very early. It’s very, very early,” Trump said.
Even with other potential candidates in the race, Trump expressed concern about not remaining in good graces with his supporters if he chooses to not run in 2024.
“If I do decide that, I think my base is going to be very angry,” he said.