Former President Donald Trump said on July 20 that he can’t announce a decision to run for president because of campaign finance laws, which he described as ridiculous and outdated.
During an interview with radio host Michael Savage, the former president was asked to talk about the possibility of running for president in 2024.
“I can’t really because of campaign finance rules, regulations, very complicated, very stiff, and frankly very antiquated if you want to know the truth. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said, adding that he will talk about his political future soon. “I will be talking about it and I think that people will be very happy.”
Trump hasn’t made public announcements about running for president, although during a February speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he suggested he might run. Trump also told several news outlets in recent months that he wants to help Republicans win back Congress during the 2022 midterms, before making any announcements.
Late last month, the former commander-in-chief was asked about whether he has decided on whether he would run for president during a segment with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “Yes” was Trump’s response, without elaborating.
Should Trump decide to run, he would be likely the most popular Republican candidate, based on his status as a former president. If he officially announced a 2024 bid, Trump would then be subject to stricter rules regarding his personal finances as well as limits on donations and spending for political causes.
The former president’s political action committee, Save America PAC, allows him to spend millions of dollars that he has raised after the 2020 election. However, he can’t spend the funds on a presidential campaign.
In April, the Save America PAC reported about $85 million cash on hand—which is likely going to increase ahead of the midterms.
President Joe Biden in March told reporters at a press conference that he’s planning to run for president again in 2024. Biden will be 82 years old in 2024; Trump will be 78 by then.
The new comments come as Trump has increasingly made more public appearances, including campaign-style rallies in Ohio and Florida, and another CPAC speech in Texas this month. During his second speech, Trump railed against Marxism and critical race theory.
“With the help of everyone here today, we will defeat the radical left, the socialists, Marxists, and the critical race theorists,” Trump told the audience on July 11. “We will secure our borders, we will stop left-wing cancel culture, we will restore free speech and free elections, and we will make America great again.”
Before that, he filed lawsuits against Twitter, Facebook, and Google, accusing the tech giants of suppressing conservative viewpoints and accounts.
