Donald Trump continues to see a decline in support from allies and a refusal from members of his former inner circle to support his 2024 campaign.
Of the nine former Trump campaign officials reached by CNNonly three said they publicly plan to support the former president’s third consecutive bid for the White House.
Corey Lewsandowski, once Trump’s most trusted campaign manager, is reportedly privately pitching potential Republican candidates to run against the former president in the primary, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Governor, Kristi Name.
Lewandowski, who lives in New Hampshire, was not with Trump during his visit to the Granite State in January. Trump’s former aide, however, insists he “has not sought other GOP candidates for president.”
Former senior Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli launched a super PAC on Thursday to have DeSantis elected president in 2024, even though the governor has not yet announced his bid.
Donald Trump loses support from his once-close circle as former aides and advisers refuse to weigh in or fully board other GOP candidates for 2024
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, once Trump White House press secretary, told Trump in a recent phone call that she wasn’t ready to force an approval after he asked for it, according to a report from the New York Times
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was Trump’s White House press secretary and one of his staunchest supporters while in office, has refused to take sides in the upcoming presidential election.
Trump recently called Sanders to ask for her support, the New York Times reported earlier this month, but she wasn’t ready to wade into the waters of a 2024 endorsement just yet.
“I love the president, have a great relationship with him,” Sanders told Fox News in January. “I know our country would be infinitely better off if he were in office now instead of Joe Biden, but right now my focus is not 2024, but here in Arkansas.”
Alexa Henning, a spokeswoman for Sanders, told CNN her comment still stands two months later.
The distance to Trump comes as the 2024 primary race heats up and reports emerge that DeSantis will announce his candidacy as early as May. The Sunshine State leader has begun touring the country and visiting key states — such as Iowa and New Hampshire — indicating an announcement is imminent.
Two former aides reached by CNN say they want to remain neutral in the 2024 race, while three others declined to weigh in publicly.
Katrina Pierson, Trump’s former campaign spokeswoman in 2016, was noncommittal about an endorsement.
Corey Lewsandowski, once Trump’s most trusted campaign manager, is privately pitching potential Republican candidates to run against the former president in the primary — including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, according to CNN
Former senior Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli launched a super PAC on Thursday to elect Governor Ron DeSantis as president in 2024
Lewandowski has been by the former president’s side on many of his trips to New Hampshire, but refrained from Trump’s first visit there in his 2024 presidential nominee, despite being invited to attend.
While many see this as his continued stray from Trump, Lewandowski says it was just bad timing.
“I was over 1,500 miles away and Mr. Trump was well aware of that,” Lewandowski told CNN.
He added that his relationship with Trump “has never changed for the past eight years” — though more than a dozen people in Trump’s job have noticed a change.
Another stab in the back is Cuccinelli starting a PAC aimed directly at getting Trump’s biggest rival elected GOP nominee in 2024.
NEVER BACK TO PAC filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission in late February and is now the fourth political committee created to encourage DeSantis to run for office.
“I have spoken to many conservative activists across the country who are very excited about Gov. DeSantis running for president in 2024,” Cuccinelli said in a statement on the founding of the PAC.
“The energy is there, grassroots conservatives see the governor as a leader and a fighter with a winning conservative track record who will lead the Republican Party to victory in 2024. Based on those conversations, I am confident that we will build an unparalleled base. political army for Governor DeSantis to help carry him to the White House.”
Trump still holds on to some veteran supporters within his inner circle, including Jason Miller, who worked on his 2016 and 2020 campaigns; social media guru Dan Scavino; and Steve Bannon