(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump announced late Tuesday he would make another run for the White House.
Trump filed the relevant paperwork with the Federal Election Commission just before the announcement.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump, who lost the presidency to President Joe Biden two years ago, said.
Trump announced his 2024 presidential run at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. In his speech, Trump made the case that the state of the nation has fallen from the prosperity seen during his administration.
“The world was at peace, America was prospering, and our country was on track for an amazing future because I made big promises to the American people,” Trump said. “And unlike other presidents, I kept my promises.”
The former president, who faces several investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the confiscation of federal documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office and others, also touted his record while in office like brokering major Middle East peace deals, lowering taxes, cutting regulations, and building the economy.
Many Republicans blamed Trump for the outcome of last week’s midterm elections, which saw Democrats maintain control of the U.S. Senate, and control of the House in question. In recent weeks, Trump has publicly attacked fellow Republican, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many consider his 2024 rival for the GOP nomination for president. DeSantis easily won reelection last week when many Republicans, including those endorsed by Trump, struggled.
“Anytime in the history of the world, there has never been an economy like the one we had just two years ago,” Trump said. “Despite the outcome in the Senate, we cannot lose hope, and we must all work hard for a gentleman and a great person named Herschel Walker, a fabulous human being who loves our country and will be a great United States Senator.”
Walker, Georgia’s GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, faces a runoff election next month.
Trump’s announcement will kick off a fundraising arms race in the Republican primary and could have a major impact on the Senate runoff in Georgia in December.
In response to a reporter’s question Tuesday, DeSantis brushed aside Trump’s remarks.
“I don’t think any governor got attacked more, particularly by corporate media, than me over my four-year term,” DeSantis said. “What you learn is all that’s just noise, and really what matters is, ‘are you leading? Are you getting in front of issues? Are you delivering results for people? And are you standing up for folks?’ And if you do that, then none of that stuff matters.”
“You know, at the end of the day, I would just tell people to go check out the scoreboard from last Tuesday night,” he added.
Biden has indicated he plans to run again as well.
“The reason I’m not making a judgment about formally running or not running, once I make that judgment, a whole series of regulations kick in and I have to be. I treat myself as a candidate from that moment on. I have not made that formal decision, but it’s my intention, my intention to run again,” Biden told MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart in October. “And we have time to make that decision.”
Trump also took shots at Biden, saying, “we have a president who falls asleep at global conferences.”
Trump pointed out that inflation and gas prices were much lower during his term and reupped his commitment to better trade relationships. He also called for an end to “Biden’s war on American energy.”
“Every policy must be geared toward that which supports the American worker, the American family and businesses both large and small and allows our country to compete with other countries on an even playing field which we never had until I came along…” he said.
By Casey Harper | The Center Square
