A Thursday evening report from The New York Times claims that Donald Trump plans to announce his plans for a 2024 presidential run after delaying the certification of the results of the 2020 election , which Democrat Joe Biden is projected to win.
According to the report — based on interviews with advisers and those close to the president — Trump is aware he lost the election. But instead of admitting defeat, he is purportedly attempting to pushback against his loss as long as possible to ensure that his Republican base continues to support him.
“By dominating the story of his exit from the White House, he hopes to keep his millions of supporters energized and engaged for whatever comes next,” the report read.
This next step, the publication claimed, is a 2024 presidential run.
“The president has told some advisers that if the race is certified for Mr. Biden, he will announce a 2024 campaign shortly afterward.”
Republicans allegedly believe that this next step could help Trump hold onto his “wide support” and foster speaking fees or a lucrative book deal.
For now, though, Trump is reportedly focusing on stalling the election results and ensuring that his opponent is formally announced the winner as late as possible.
“The president’s goal for now is to delay certification of the election results, a process that has begun in some states,” The New York Times reported.
According to CNN’s Chris Cillizza, Trump is the “clear front-runner” for the Republican Party’s 2024 nomination. He argued that Trump is the “only face” of the party at the moment and noted his widespread influence over the GOP.
“Whatever Trump says, the base takes as truth. Whoever he likes, they like. Whoever he attacks, they attack. It’s borderline Pavlovian,” Cillizza wrote.
Outside of the president, Tucker Carlson has also been suggested as a top choice for the GOP, and some have suggested that he could carry the torch for Trump’s “Make American Great Again” movement. Notably, former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt claimed earlier this month that Carlson is first in line for the Republican nomination in 2024.
Per The New York Times , Trump is also considering involvement in a conservative-leaning news network that would act as opposition to Fox News, by which he feels betrayed after the network called Arizona and the election as a whole for Biden. This could mean joining up with properties such as Newsmax or OANN — the latter which Donald Trump Jr. has been linked to via investment — or creating a network of his own. Nevertheless, some allies have expressed doubt that he could compete with Fox — let alone while campaigning on a 2024 presidential run.
