Aside from criticizing Biden, Trump is expected to use the speech to discuss the future of the Republican Party and his “America First” movement, arguing they must stick with him to keep the new voters he brought into the party energized. And he will argue the only divide in the party is between Washington elites and the conservative grassroots, even as he seeks to punish those he has deemed insufficiently loyal, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney.
Trump Began his Vengeance Campaign
Indeed, on Friday, Trump began his vengeance campaign, endorsing Max Miller, a former aide who is seeking to oust Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, who voted in favor of Trump’s impeachment.
While he no longer has his social media megaphone after being barred from Twitter and Facebook, Trump has already been inching back into public life. He called into conservative news outlets after Rush Limbaugh’s death and to wish Tiger Woods well after the pro golfer was injured in a car crash. He has also issued statements, including one blasting McConnell after the Senate Republican leader excoriated Trump for inciting the Capitol riot. McConnell has since said he would “absolutely” support Trump if he were the GOP nominee in 2024.
At his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump has been quietly meeting with aides and senior party leaders as he builds his post-presidential political operation. While he has already endorsed several pro-Trump candidates, aides have been working this past week to develop benchmarks for those seeking his endorsement to make sure the candidates are serious and have set up full-fledged political and fundraising organizations before he gets involved.
They are also planning a new super PAC that could raise unlimited amounts of money, though one aide cautioned they were still deciding whether to create a new entity or repurpose an existing America First super PAC.
Trump Run Again in 2024
Trump is not expected to announce Sunday that he will run again in 2024, but allies made clear he would continue to float the prospect.
“You are going to see a speech on Sunday that talks about not only the beginning but what the future may look like,” Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows told Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity earlier this week. “What we will see on Sunday is we will see the start of planning for the next administration. And I can tell you, the people that are in the top of that list, all of ’em have Trump as their last name.”
Last Words
“I imagine it will not be what we call a ‘low-energy’ speech,” said Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. during his own speech on Friday to CPAC — or “T-PAC” as he called it. “I assure you that it will solidify Donald Trump and all of your feelings about the MAGA movement as the future of the Republican Party.”
