A Republican strategist predicted that Trump wants to remain in his GOP kingmaker role even more than a third term.
"I'm not a person who believes he's going to run for a third term," Republican strategist Liam Donavan told journalist Ezra Klein in a video opinion piece. "But could he continue to exert enormous power over the Republican Party by continuing to intervene in primaries all over the country? I think he absolutely could, and you can be the kingmaker even when you're not the king."
Trump endorsements have ousted established GOP senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) as well as state lawmakers in Indiana.
For Trump, "he is less worried about a world where Democrats have power than he is about a world where Republicans feel empowered to abandon him," Donovan argued.
"I think just his impulses are to flex his muscles and have Republicans do what he wants," Donovan said.