Moments before former President Donald Trump took to the stage at his Palm Beach, Florida, residence and Private club, the paperwork for his 2024 White House campaign was filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Trump’s filing, dated November 15, was filed alongside his principal campaign committee documents, titled “Donald J. Trump For President 2024,” and fulfilled a months-long promise that he’d be announcing his White House candidacy “soon.”
But as Trump stepped on stage to give what would become an hour-long speech, he had to contend with Republicans’ poor midterm showing.
When he launched his address, Democrats had won control of the Senate and Republicans were still waiting, with bated breath, to see if they’d win the House, being one seat shy of a majority when Trump took to the stage.
Trump addressed this glim reality, excusing the GOP’s performance as Americans hadn’t “realized” the “extent and gravity” of what the nation was going through.
The former President’s announcement came a day after he was intended to sit for the January 6 Committee’s deposition, further complicating the action the Committee could take to compel him to appear.
It also came as Trump had been hinting he would announce “soon” amid an onslaught of attacks he aimed at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), a likely challenger to his 2024 bid.
Yet, earlier on Tuesday, DeSantis brushed off Trump’s attacks as “just noise” while emphasizing his governorship win.
Many have speculated that Trump was announcing one week after Election Day to complicate — and dissuade — any potential Republican challengers; whether Tuesday’s announcement has that effect, it is still too early to tell.
