On Wednesday, Newsweek reported that former President Donald Trump's announcement of is 2024 candidacy did not go down well with all corners of the right-wing web — with some believing he is holding the Republican Party hostage with his third consecutive attempt to run for president, and putting the party in a no-win situation.
"Trump's announcement went down badly on influential r/Conservative Reddit group, which has one million members, with most of the top-rated comments criticizing the former president," reported James Bickerton. "One commentator, using account name neutralpoliticsbot, received 1,000 upvotes for posting: 'He is going to be the Hillary Clinton of republican party in 2024 isn't he? I bet he threatens to run third party if [Florida Governor] DeSantis wins primaries which would guarantee a democrat president.'"
Another poster, Xixi90, added, "Hard to see this goes anyway but 1 of 2 outcomes: 1. Trump wins the primary burning everything in the GOP down in the process before losing in the General. 2. Trump loses in the primary or withdraws and runs 3rd party, guaranteeing the Democrats win 2024 in a landslide." And another, BillionCub, simply wrote, "I feel like he's holding us all at gunpoint."
Trump's announcement, which came on Tuesday night at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after months of anticipation and telegraphing, complicates the calculation of any other Republican thinking of jumping into the race.
It also complicates things for Trump himself, who must now restart his campaign fundraising among a donor base he has already bled dry in the 2022 cycle into his super PACs, which by law cannot coordinate directly with his presidential campaign. He is also now fully responsible for his legal bills as the Republican National Committee cuts him off.
"As Trump made his announcement in Florida around a dozen of his supporters gathered outside Trump Tower in New York, where they shouted 'USA' and stamped on a flag bearing the face of DeSantis," said the report. "The Florida Governor, who was convincingly re-elected last week, is widely regarded as a possible challenger for the 2024 Republican nomination. Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka, has distanced herself from her father, saying she no longer plans to be actively involved in politics."