Donald Trump's company has been convicted of tax fraud for a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes. Video / AP
Donald Trump has cryptically teased a “major announcement” and suggested he is a “superhero” on social media.
The former US President is once again running for the White House. But he’s been widely seen as one of the factors in the Republican Party’s lacklustre performance in November’s midterm elections and recent polling has shown his failing popularity even among his own party’s voters.
In a 15-second clip on his Truth Social website, Trump said “America needs a superhero”.
He also shared a bizarre animation of himself dressed as a Superman-like character with streams of light coming from his eyes outside New York’s Trump Tower.
The clip ends with text flagging a “major announcement” on December 15.
It’s unclear what that announcement might be, but speculation has included that he might announce a running mate in his presidential bid or a return to Twitter after new owner Elon Musk said his account had been reinstated.
Donald Trump has shared an odd image of himself dressed as a superhero. Photo / Truth Social
He could even be set to announce a plan to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, which the Republicans now control following the midterm elections.
Although given the Republicans’ relatively poor performance at the election – the party just scraped control of the House – and that many of Trump’s most high-profile hand-picked candidates lost, it’s questionable whether politicians will want the former President in such a high-profile role.
Trump announced his fresh presidential tilt in November, just days after the election. He is the only candidate from any party so far to throw their hat in the ring for the poll which will take place in November 2024.
Since then he has become further embroiled in legal difficulties.
On Monday, a Florida federal judge formally dismissed Trump’s request for a neutral third party to examine hundreds of potentially classified documents seized by federal investigators from his Mar-a-Lago resort in August, reported theNew York Post.
Last month, Attorney-General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel, veteran prosecutor Jack Smith, to investigate Trump’s handling of government documents and his actions to challenge his loss to current US President Joe Biden in 2020.
This month, a New York jury found the Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corporation guilty of multiple charges of tax fraud and falsifying business records.
He also faced scrutiny after he had dinner with Kanye West and a white nationalist at Mar-a-Lago.
It also appears as if his shine is waning among even Americans who have previously voted for him.
Former President Donald Trump. Photo / AP
A Quinnipiac University survey found the former President’s standing with voters is at its lowest for seven years.
Less than a third of voters have a favourable view of Trump against 59 per cent who have an unfavourable view.
Among voters who are not aligned to either major party, 62 per cent have a low opinion of Trump.
“Former President Trump’s post-presidential announcement numbers are heading in the wrong direction,” Quinnipiac University research analyst Tim Malloy said, reported news outlet CNBC.
“You would have to go back at least six years to find less support for him from Republican, independent and American voters as a whole.”
A poll from Suffolk University, also released this week, had similar results.
Two-thirds of Republicans say they now want Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President rather than Trump.
“Republicans and conservative independents increasingly want Trumpism without Trump,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Centre.
Nonetheless, Trump continues to have a core base of impassioned supporters and holds a strong level of influence over the Republicans which could yet seem to him prevail in his bid to become the party’s candidate despite sliding poll numbers and poor election results.
