Former Trump aides suggest he is unlikely to run again

[Alben Barkley]

https://www.newsandguts.com/politico-trump-was-supposed-to-be-a-political-godzilla-in-exile-instead-hes-adrift/

Donald Trump has been playing a lot of golf. He’s been seen greeting guests at his south Florida clubs and he’s made one big speech since leaving Washington on January 20th. But that’s pretty much it. As Politico wrote, he was supposed to be the “political Godzilla in exile.” It’s not happening. The political website says “he’s adrift.”

He’s backed away from forming a third party and his own social media empire. Politico writes:

And though he was supposed to build a massive political apparatus to keep his MAGA movement afloat, it’s unclear to Republicans what his PAC is actually doing, beyond entangling itself in disputes with Republican icons and the party’s fundraising arms.

It would be generous to say Trump’s transition to life at Mar-a-Lago has not been the definition of an ex-president looking to return to power. It appears much more like a one-termer sliding quietly into retirement.

“There is no apparatus, no structure and part of that is due to a lack of political understanding on Trump’s behalf,” said a person close to the former president, noting that Trump has struggled to learn the ropes of post-presidential politicking.

“It’s like political phantom limbs. He doesn’t have the same political infrastructure he did three months ago as president,” added GOP strategist Matt Gorman, who previously served as communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

“Politics is his hobby and he’s having fun with his hobby in between his rounds of golf. His big test is does he run again? Because if he doesn’t, you’ll see people lose interest in the guy in the next hour. As long as he plays the theatrics he’s going to run again, he still garners attention and creates headlines.”

— Former Trump adviser to Politico

Trump wants to play the tole of kingmaker, his endorsement making or breaking political careers. But with no social media microphone, does his word still carry the weight it once did?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I feel like Trump doesn’t have to spend his next three years doing any work at all if he wants to run again, as he will still have the ability to instantly call on his supporters the moment he throws his hat in the ring.

[Roll Roons]

I always figured he was too lazy to do it again. He might tease it but I highly doubt he'll actually pull the trigger on another run. And everyone will be better off for it.

[politics_king]

He's most likely just going to run his Super PAC and play all the candidates up to try and earn his endorsement. Whoever Trump endorses may end up being the nominee. Who knows, but it does seem like he's kind of just said screw it.

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

I always figured he was too lazy to do it again. He might tease it but I highly doubt he'll actually pull the trigger on another run. And everyone will be better off for it.

Running for President seems to be the only thing he enjoys. Hell, he outsourced most of the actual Presidenting so he could keep running for President while he was President.

I have a hard time seeing him not doing it again.

[Medal506]

I actually was pretty sure he was going to run for president again, but after his CPAC speech, I don’t think he’s going to run again. I think he would have announced at CPAC if he really intended on running again.

[SnowLabrador]

I still expect him to run again. As others have noted, it's not like he needs to be doing much right now if he intends on running again.

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

Trump doesn't have to do anything. Give me a break. The nature of campaigning and the nature of Trump's cult align in such a way that means Trump could, quite literally, sleepwalk to the nomination. What do they expect him to do? Nonstop rallies? Should he have stayed in Washington DC? Kept a full staff? Nonsense. Unnecessary. Do I think he *will* run? I don't know. Maybe.

I don't think his time spent on the golf course is at all relevant, though.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He doesn't have any Twitter to speak on and he doesn't like doing Press Conferences, naturally he is gonna be absent from Politics except for CPAC

[GeneralMacArthur]

I mean he's obviously going to run again because he can pocket hundreds of millions of dollars.  More if he keeps the grift going for the next four years by constantly teasing it.

Will he actually try to win the primary?  He already lost to Biden once, and he'll now have to face the full power of a successful Biden Administration while his approval numbers have tanked.  I don't know why he would even want to be president again since he didn't seem to enjoy the job and deep down he must know that he was absolutely terrible at it.

Then again, his ego is so enormous that he may want to run again just for the chance to beat Biden and not feel like a loser.  So the best thing for America to do would be to constantly pat him on the back and tell him he actually won in 2020 so he doesn't feel the need to prove anything with a 2024 victory.

If I were him I would refuse to enter the primary and just loom on the outskirts, demanding that GOP candidates adhere to my ideology and threatening to enter the race myself if I don't deem any of the replacement candidates suitable.  The internet will think this means I'm absolutely going to run, and dump tons of money into my PACs in anticipation.  In actuality, I'll just spend an entire year trolling and then bow out with my fat stacks.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

I continually go back and forth about which force is stronger:

1. his desire to vindicate himself, enact revenge on his political enemies, and stay on the tip of everyone's tongues
2. his laziness, disinterest in the actual job of governance, and fear of humiliating himself a second time

If I had to guess, I would say that the latter wins out, but who knows. I'm sure he will make a lot of money either way.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

If he doesn't make at least a pro-forma show of running, his allegations that investigations and criminal charges are attempts to keep him from running will fall flat. (Of course, he may not agree with that assessment.)

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

I mean he's obviously going to run again because he can pocket hundreds of millions of dollars.  More if he keeps the grift going for the next four years by constantly teasing it.

Will he actually try to win the primary?  He already lost to Biden once, and he'll now have to face the full power of a successful Biden Administration while his approval numbers have tanked.  I don't know why he would even want to be president again since he didn't seem to enjoy the job and deep down he must know that he was absolutely terrible at it.

Then again, his ego is so enormous that he may want to run again just for the chance to beat Biden and not feel like a loser.  So the best thing for America to do would be to constantly pat him on the back and tell him he actually won in 2020 so he doesn't feel the need to prove anything with a 2024 victory.

If I were him I would refuse to enter the primary and just loom on the outskirts, demanding that GOP candidates adhere to my ideology and threatening to enter the race myself if I don't deem any of the replacement candidates suitable.  The internet will think this means I'm absolutely going to run, and dump tons of money into my PACs in anticipation.  In actuality, I'll just spend an entire year trolling and then bow out with my fat stacks.

I mean if he runs he automatically wins the primary, whether he wants to or not.

[EastwoodS]

I actually was pretty sure he was going to run for president again, but after his CPAC speech, I don’t think he’s going to run again. I think he would have announced at CPAC if he really intended on running again.

I think he wants DeSantis to run