The telegraph
Analysis: Donald Trump is back in business
The reports of Donald Trump’s political death were greatly exaggerated. Trump’s first major post-presidential speech on Sunday was a tour de force of the strongest personality in American politics. Love him or hate him, he’s back. Like many of Mr. Trump’s speeches, this 90-minute marathon covered terrible ground. Supporters and detractors will each have found a lot to worry about. But for America, there were actually three key questions that needed to be answered. The first was: Is Trump still able to excite his own supporters after his defeat in 2020, a second impeachment and a self-imposed political hiatus? The answer to that was, resoundingly, yes. Second, was he really thinking of launching an independent party, which would throw the Republican Party into chaos? The answer was, resoundingly, no. “False news,” said Trump. The Republican Party will unite and win in 2024, he said. Third, will he run for the White House in 2024? That seemed to depend on the answer to the first question. So the answer was – probably yes. During his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference [CPAC] Mr. Trump gave several knowing looks and smiles as he danced around the subject of a 2024 return offer, as if he were testing the waters.