Former President Donald Trump says if he runs for president in 2024 he could jump into the GOP nomination race and tap a running mate “right after” the midterm elections next year.
Mr. Trump is teasing the idea of making a political comeback in the 2024 presidential election.
“I am giving it the most serious consideration, as you can imagine,” Mr. Trump said Wednesday on “The Dan Bongino Show” podcast. “If you do it, I think probably the most appropriate time would be right after the ‘22 election.”
“[I] could do it sooner, but I think right after the election would be good — especially if you have a good election,“ he said.
“Now I am not sure if you didn’t have a good election, I’m not sure that that wouldn’t be good also, if you want to know the truth,” he added.
Regardless of his decision to run, Mr. Trump said Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland has no chance of becoming president in the 2024 election.
“This guy, I watch him, he is a total loser,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Hogan has been critical of Mr. Trump since the 2016 election campaign and refused to vote for him in 2020, instead writing in former President Ronald Reagan.
The governor has signaled interest in a presidential run.
Mr. Trump said Mr. Hogan has been nice to his face, but backstabbed him in interviews.
“I would give him less than a zero percent chance” of winning the GOP presidential nomination, Mr. Trump said.
In the interview, Mr. Trump said President Biden has made a mess of the U.S.-Mexico border and said the administration’s push to raise the corporate tax will send companies fleeing to more tax-friendly nations.
Mr. Trump said Mr. Biden is getting the credit for the work he did to quickly develop coronavirus vaccines.
The United States “probably would have never had a vaccine” if it were not for his leadership, Mr. Trump claimed, adding that others delayed the rollout of the vaccines to hurt his election chances.
Mr. Trump also restated his widely disputed claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
As for his latest poll numbers, Mr. Trump said that “no one has seen anything more positive.” He is staying politically engaged, he said, as GOP candidates seek his endorsement.
“Everyone comes and they all want the endorsement more than they have ever wanted an endorsement,” Mr. Trump said. “It has never been an endorsement that meant so much, which is an honor to me, and it is very important.”
“It means victory, it is the difference between whether they win or they lose,” he said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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