Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally. Photo / AP
Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally. Photo / AP
Rumours are growing Donald Trump is plotting a presidential comeback – and apparently, he plans to drop his bombshell announcement while trolling his biggest rival.
Last week, reports emerged that the 75-year-old was preparing to formally announce his intentions to run for president again in 2024 within weeks.
A string of sources close to Trump told NBC News that an announcement was coming, with one convinced the news would be shared "sooner rather than later", while two others told the network they had heard the news could break on Independence Day on July 4.
And Trump adviser Jason Miller also said it made sense for Trump to declare his plans soon and take advantage of the momentum he enjoys.
"I think that there being clarity about what his intentions are [is important] so he can start building that operation while it's still fresh in people's minds and they're still active – a lot of that can be converted into 2024 action," he told NBC recently.
Now, insiders have claimed Trump wants to make his big announcement near rival and Florida governor Ron DeSantis' home, in order to troll him.
DeSantis is seen as a rising star within the Republican Party, and his support is particularly surging in the west of the country.
In a sign of just how strong his popularity is, he thrashed Trump in the annual Western Conservative Summit straw poll held earlier this month, with 71 per cent wanting him to run for president in 2024, with just 67 per cent favouring Trump – and Senator Ted Cruz coming in at a distant third place. (Participants are allowed to give multiple responses.)
If both men throw their hat in the ring, DeSantis could be Trump's only major competitor in the battle for the nomination.
According to Rolling Stone, a source has claimed Trump wanted to intentionally announce his presidential bid near DeSantis' home in Tallahassee, Florida in a display of dominance and to show him "who the boss is".
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Photo / AP
Sources also told the publication Trump had described DeSantis as "very overrated" and has claimed "he'd easily crush the Florida governor".
The latest claims come hot on the heels of a string of recent hints from the Trumps regarding a possible return to the White House.
Last month, wife Melania set tongues wagging after hinting at a potential comeback during an interview with Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth.
Last December, Trump dropped a major clue he was considering a rerun during an interview with Nigel Farage for UK channel GB News.
Trump finished the interview by saying, "We're going to have a big '22 and I think we're going to have an even bigger '24," after earlier saying he enjoyed politics as he was "helping people".
And just a month prior, he also made headlines after telling Fox he was "certainly thinking about" running again in 2024.
For Trump to be eligible to run in 2024, he'll need to win the Republican presidential nomination – and officially, the campaign for that role doesn't begin until after America's midterm elections in November 2022.
