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'You lot always have to talk nearly health': Trump shows his first menu in closely held 2024 hand

Key tests of quondam president's sway coming up

President Donald Trump, here at an April 9 rally in Selma, N.C., recently hinted his health is a bigger factor in his 2024 decision. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump, here at an April ix rally in Selma, Due north.C., recently hinted his health is a bigger factor in his 2024 determination. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Posted April xix, 2022 at half dozen:00am

Assay — Donald Trump prefers to go on allies and foes guessing, but he has finally shown a card in his closely held hand almost the 2024 presidential race.

The former president, despite existence 75 and overweight with several medical bug, has long argued he is in great physical and mental shape. Lately, he has boasted — and raised money — off a hole in i he allegedly bagged at one of his Florida golf courses.

"Many people are asking, and so I'll give it to you at present, information technology is 100% true," Trump said in a March 28 statement released by his post-presidency office before being sure to plug his ritzy resort. "It took place at Trump International Golf game Club in Due west Palm Embankment, Florida, on the 7th hole, which was playing 181-yards into a slight wind."

What came next was vintage The Donald, painting himself every bit something of an athletic savant on the links — i that can overcome a breeze and a course expertly prepare to present a challenge to those brave, and wealthy, enough to take it on.

"I striking a 5-fe, which sailed magnificently into a rather strong current of air, with approximately 5 feet of cut, whereupon it bounced twice so went clank, into the pigsty," Trump bragged.

To be sure, holes in one are rare and, as Trump put it in the same statement, "quite exciting." He besides boasted about winning the day's match, during which he teamed with South African professional golfer Ernie Els, a 4-fourth dimension major tournament winner: "I won't tell you who won because I am a very modest private, and you will and so say I was bragging — and I don't like people who brag!"

The Republican standard-bearer is a lot of things, but humble has never been one of them. So it was somewhat stunning when Trump recently showed some humility and best-selling his age and health during an interview with The Washington Post.

He appeared to propose he is non, in fact, in peak physical status when asked about seeking the GOP presidential nomination, a race that will kick into gear following Nov's midterm elections.

"Y'all always take to talk about wellness. You look like you're in expert health, but tomorrow, you get a letter from a doctor saying, 'Come up meet me again,'" he told The Post. "That'southward non practiced when they use the word 'again.'"

The former president'south comment should cast some doubts on his entry into the 2024 race. Just, equally ever, Trump spoke in a riddle that raises more questions than it answers. Here are three questions after Trump'south moment of candor.

Who wins the Trump endorsement hunger games?

To what lengths volition other potential 2024 Republicans go to secure what would be the just endorsement that would movement the needle in a Trump-gratuitous GOP master?

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has offered a few clues, every bit has Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The onetime so wanted to brand a point well-nigh illegal clearing that he took a hammer to his country's economic system by slowing the flow of goods entering from Mexico. The latter has made himself into a Trump-fashion fighter who volition take on political foes and even large employers in the Sunshine State like Disney.

Imagine what others — think Due south Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, old Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Administrator Nikki Haley and others — might have to do and say. They will demand to not just get Trump's attention, but proceed it and prove to him they are the proper heir to the "Make America Swell Once more" movement.

"If Trump decides not to run in 2024, and so it would be a wide-open competition. More than importantly, maybe, could exist the rush of securing Trump's endorsement for the presidential nomination," said Michael Bitzer, a political science professor at Catawba Higher in North Carolina. "That might actually be the bigger competition inside the GOP: Who does Trump anoint equally heir apparent?"

Could anyone handle the ultimate backseat driver?

Would Trump be able to resist commenting — multiple times per day — on the primary and how the party's eventual nominee chose to accept on President Joe Biden?

It would be very much on-make for The Donald, whose entire political persona is based on an argument he is a once-in-a-generation mind, to go an irritant to the nominee by 2d-guessing every decision he or she makes in 2024.

Statements. Fox News phone call-ins to the highly rated primetime programs of commentators similar Sean Hannity and others. Posts on his conservatives-but social media site.

The ultimate backseat commuter would likely view himself every bit an unofficial campaign manager — and one with the loudest megaphone in American politics.

Evan Siegfried, a Republican strategist, said Mon he expects several high-profile GOP figures — namely: DeSantis, Pence and Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri — won't spend likewise much time dwelling on Trump's remark.

"I call back he was doing an interview and he was just riffing. He'south going to run if he chooses to run," Siegfried said. "Other Republicans are going to run, fifty-fifty if he does run. There will be one or two who don't run if Trump does run. But there are others who will run regardless."

Is Trump losing his grip over the political party?

The farther from his presidency he gets, the less Trump'due south endorsement of GOP candidates essentially secures them the Republican primary win in state or congressional races. So that begs a question: Is Trump's health comment the start of him realizing the MAGA motility is starting to lose steam?

"Information technology is possible to see three cracks in what Trump would like to believe is monolithic command over the Republican Political party," co-ordinate to Elaine Kamarck, a former Clinton assistants official at present with the Brookings Institution.

"The hard-core Trump base appears to be shrinking," she noted. "In many Republican primaries, Trump does non appear able to crown winners simply with his endorsement — his candidates are often in for a fight with other Republicans."

Ohio's primary for the Senate seat soon to be vacated by the retiring Rob Portman is emerging as a central exam instance for the Trump seal of approval. The former president on Friday endorsed J.D. Vance, a venture capitalist and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy."

Trump's usual public decisiveness and firmness has been missing with some of his recent endorsement, including that of Vance. His lukewarm embrace of Vance came in a statement that, in another united nations-Trump moment, put practicality over the MAGA movement, with Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan on form to be his party's master winner: "Nosotros cannot play games. Information technology is all nigh winning!"

"Similar some others, J.D. Vance may take said some non and then great things about me in the by, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades. He is our best gamble for victory in what could be a very tough race," Trump said. "This is not an piece of cake endorsement for me to make because I like and respect some of the other candidates in the race — they've said great things almost 'Trump' and, like me, they love Ohio and love our Country. I've studied this race closely and I think J.D. is the almost probable to take out the weak, merely unsafe, Democrat opponent."

All optics will now exist on futurity polling in the Buckeye Country. When Trump's endorsement landed tardily final calendar week, Vance trailed onetime state Treasurer Josh Mandel, 28 pct to 22.six pct, in i recent poll past the Trafalgar Group.

Will Vance become a "Trump bump" and overtake Mandel, which would amount to a sign the former president remains his party'due south most powerful force?

Whether his grip on the party remains potent is "playing out in the various 2022 GOP primary contests battling for Trump's approving," Bitzer said.

"Trump certainly likes being the party'due south kingmaker, and 2024's presidential contest within the Republican Party would exist on steroids for the potential of moving a meaning number of Republican voters into one candidate'southward military camp," he added, "and thus gaining instant traction in what could be a significantly crowded field of candidates."