Former President Trump held rallies in New Hampshire and South Carolina, marking the start of his 2024 presidential campaign.
“I’m angrier and more determined than ever,” former US President Donald Trump told supporters at the Republican annual meeting in New Hampshire on January 28, before leaving for the country. Columbia, South Carolina to announce the campaign leadership team.
New Hampshire and South Carolina are among the first four states to hold the Republican primaries to select candidates for the election, making the states highly influential for candidates who want to run for the White House.
Trump speaks during a rally in South Carolina on January 28. Photo: AFP.
During rallies, former president Trump repeated many of the themes prominent in his first campaign, such as stopping illegal immigrants and dealing with China. He also highlighted a range of social issues such as transgender rights and racial curricula in schools.
Unlike rallies with thousands of participants, Trump’s events in these two states are relatively quiet. The former US president appeared at Columbia with Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Lindsey Graham, before addressing about 200 supporters.
Former President Trump was once the focus of the Republican party, but a growing number of officials expressed doubts about his ability to defeat President Joe Biden in the US presidential election in 2024. also consider running for the White House, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is considered Trump’s biggest rival.
Mr. Trump in November 2022 announced his re-election bid for US president in 2024 and is currently the leading candidate of the Republican Party. DeSantis has not yet announced his candidacy for president, and a source close to the matter said earlier this month that the Florida governor may decide to run for president after the state congressional session in May.
Mr. DeSantis, 45, is considered a rising star of the Republican party and won by a large margin against his Democratic opponent when he ran for re-election for governor of Florida in November 2022. The Florida governor is 77 years younger than former President Trump, and can also be the image of youth when standing next to incumbent President Joe Biden of the Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has been accused by many Republicans of being the cause of the party’s unsatisfactory results in the November 2022 midterm elections. The former US president is said to have supported candidates more loyal to him but less likely to win the election.
Vu Anh (Theo Reuters)