WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump offered more hints of a 2024 presidential run on the same day that he and his former vice president, Mike Pence, gave separate speeches in Washington, D.C.
“This November, the people are going to vote to stop the destruction of our country, and they’re going to vote to rescue America’s future,” Trump told the crowd gathered at the America First Policy Institute summit.
“I’m here before you to begin to talk about what we must do to achieve that future when we win a triumphant victory in 2022 and when a Republican president takes back the White House in 2024, which I strongly believe will happen,” he added to applause.
He later referred to the 2020 election, saying that he had won a “second time,” adding amid strong applause, “That’s going to be a story for a long time, what a disgrace it was, but we may just have to do it again. We have to straighten out our country.”
The former president has not officially announced that he will run in 2024, though he has frequently hinted at it as of late. Some Republicans have expressed concerns that a pre-November announcement would upend the midterms, but many Republican lawmakers urge the president to come out and announce.
Former US President Donald Trump speaks at the America First Policy Institute Agenda Summit in Washington, DC, on July 26, 2022. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday across town at the JW Marriot, Mike Pence called for unified conservative action as he outlined his “Freedom Agenda” to young conservatives at the Young America’s Foundation conference. The former vice president’s speech was originally scheduled for Monday evening at The Heritage Foundation, but was delayed due to weather.
“Some people may choose to focus on the past,” Pence said. “But elections are about the future. And I believe conservatives must focus on the future to win back America.”
“We can’t afford to take our eyes off the road in front of us,” he added.
In a brief question and answer session after the speech, Pence addressed a student’s query about his relationship with Trump.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the record of the Trump/Pence administration,” he responded. “And for four years, we advanced the policies that I just described, without apology.”
“I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to serve as vice president,” he continued. “I don’t know that our movement is that divided. I don’t know that the president and I differ on issues. But we may differ on focus.”
“I truly do believe that elections are about the future, and it’s absolutely essential at a time when so many Americans are hurting, so many families are struggling, that we don’t give way to the temptation to look back,” Pence said. “I think the time has come for us to offer a bold, positive agenda to bring America back. And I’ll continue to carry that message all across this nation.”