Trump challengers should be 'ready for war' as he is expected to 'come out swinging' in anticipated 2024 announcement, adviser says
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- Donald Trump is going to "come out swinging" next week with his "big announcement," an adviser said.
- Trump's early announcement may be an attempt to deter other viable GOP candidates, The Daily Beast reported.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who easily won reelection Tuesday, has stolen some of Trump's spotlight.
Republican challengers, be warned: former President Donald Trump is expected to "come out swinging" with his 2024 presidential announcement expected next week, an adviser told The Daily Beast.
Trump wanted to launch his presidential campaign on the night before the election, but aides persuaded him to wait. Since then, he has promised a "big announcement" on Tuesday, November 15, though his campaign adviser has encouraged him to wait until after the Georgia runoffs in December, Business Insider previously reported.
"I would expect Trump to come out swinging Tuesday," an unnamed adviser familiar with the matter told the Daily Beast. "People forget that he eviscerated 16 Republicans in 2016 and has kept the entire party in check through fear since then."
After the "red wave" Republicans touted ahead of the midterms turned out to be a disappointment, some attention has shifted from Trump to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a potential savior of the party. While some Republicans across the nation struggled on election night, DeSantis easily won reelection against a Democratic challenger with just shy of 60% of the vote.
DeSantis has engaged in early talks about a presidential run, though he wouldn't be likely to announce his candidacy until after Florida's legislative session ends in May, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The potential for strong GOP challengers may be drawing Trump to make a relatively early announcement as he tries to deter viable candidates from running, according to the Daily Beast.
"I'm sure there will be challengers," the anonymous adviser told the Daily Beast. "But they better show up ready for war, because nothing is off the table."