Trump's indecision about 2024 has 'frustrated' some allies, who say he's bungling a chance to 'take control of the GOP early on': CNN
- Former President Donald Trump's indecision about 2024 has "frustrated" allies, according to CNN.
- Several allies fear Trump is blowing his chance to "take control of the GOP early on."
- As Trump makes up his mind, other potential GOP candidates are visiting key states.
Former President Donald Trump might run for his old job again in 2024, or he might decide to stay in sunny Florida.
No one really knows for sure what Trump will eventually decide to do, or when he might make a decision, and it's causing a bit of consternation among some of his GOP allies, according to a CNN report.
Although Trump has not revealed any concrete plans, he has continued to elevate Republicans who could be potential successors, including Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.
However, the former president's indecision about his own run has "frustrated" allies, who fear he is blowing his chance to "take control of the GOP early on" before his supporters develop relationships with other potential candidates, according to CNN.
"It's important to have a field-clearing exercise sooner rather than later if he's going to run, otherwise some of these other guys are going to start getting momentum," a former senior Trump administration official told the news outlet.
Several likely GOP entrants have already begun planting the seeds for potential campaigns, including former Vice President Mike Pence, who will give an address in South Carolina this week, as well as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has already traveled to Iowa and appeared virtually for a New Hampshire GOP event.
DeSantis and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will also make appearances in Iowa and Pennsylvania in the coming months, according to CNN.
Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, would likely play an outsized role in her home state if she decided to run due to its potential to provide political momentum early in the nomination process.
Other potential candidates who have visited - or will soon visit Iowa - include Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Rick Scott of Florida, and Tim Scott of South Carolina, according to CNN.
Several Trump allies have also told the former president to "fine-tune his post-presidential messaging," arguing that a "vengeance-driven strategy" will not have lasting appeal, per CNN.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia told CNN that Trump would be better off zeroing in on the Democratic Party.
"I think the radicalism of the Democrats is going to rebound enormously to Trump's benefit and he would be better off to focus on the Democrats," he said. "He has enough friends to go after disloyal Republicans."
An individual close to Trump emphasized that the former president misses being in the limelight.
"He hates being off the A block," said the individual, using a reference to a top cable news segment. "He's really thinking of running again in 2024 just to get back to that."