While former president Donald Trump has not officially announced he will run again, there have been endless speculations regarding a presidential bid. He has mentioned a 2024 presidential campaign in the past, as well as considering South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as a potential running mate. He recently revealed on a “Mornings with Maria” interview on Fox News that he is “100 percent” considering a 2024 run and that he would consider Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as another potential running mate for his campaign.
“Well, he’s a friend of mine. I endorsed Ron and after I endorsed him he took off like a rocket ship. He’s done a great job as governor… A lot of people love that ticket. Certainly, Ron would be considered, he’s a great guy,” Trump said.
DeSantis’s office did not immediately respond to comment regarding Trump’s comments. He has garnered popularity nationwide over his refusal to implement strict COVID-19 related restrictions on schools and businesses, as well as his ban on vaccine passports.
Trump discussed a potential 2024 campaign platform, which would be centered around protecting the Second Amendment, lowering taxes, rebuilding the border, and building a strong energy industry. He slammed Biden’s American Jobs Plan, adding that people would see “the biggest tax increases” and that it will be a shock for all people, not just rich people.
This is also one of the latest indications that Trump would not consider Mike Pence as his running mate in 2024. He has repeatedly criticized Pence for refusing to overturn the results of the November 2020 presidential election and tweeted that he did not have the courage to “protect our country and our Constitution.” He said that Pence lacked the courage to act.
Mike Pence finally spoke in public, just over 100 days after the January 6 Capitol incident, and slammed the Biden’s administration for their “avalanche of liberal policies” and touted the Trump Administration for its accomplishments. He considered Trump an ally and talked about their partnership. “We made America greater than ever before. I gotta tell you it was four years of consequences, four years of results, and four years of promises kept,” he said.
According to nearby sources, Trump and Pence have talked numerous times since leaving office but have mostly gone their own separate ways. Trump has backed Pence’s new ventures regarding his newly formed “Advancing American Freedom” political advocacy group and being named as a distinguishing visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “It was the most successful first term in American history. Nice to see Mike highlighting some of our many achievements!” Trump told the Washington Examiner.
A former campaign aide shared that the two are “cordial but not intimate” and that Pence would not be considered as a running mate alongside Trump. “I like Mike Pence. I think he was a great VP. A great guy. But the reality is a large portion of the Trump base doesn’t like him or care about him. He wasn’t a liability [in 2020]. But was he an asset? Sure. He could give good interviews. But his ability to attract new voters wasn’t really there,” they said.
Trump has also singled out Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, as well as Noem and DeSantis as potential running mates. But there are plenty of conservatives who are hoping to see DeSantis run for president himself. Either way, we might be seeing a lot of Trump/DeSantis come 2024.