Former President Donald Trump is intent on occupying the Oval Office once again after 2024. In fact, he is already ramping up his campaign after having become the first Republican to announce his presidency right after the 2022 midterm elections.
While others are expected to make a run for the White House in the next election, none are seen as serious contenders to challenge the former president except Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has become a darling on the right. Earlier, I wrote about what DeSantis would need to do to defeat Trump and secure the GOP nomination. Now, I will explain how Trump would need to handle his campaign to ensure that DeSantis is forced to wait until 2028 to seek the White House.
For starters, it is worth noting that what worked for Trump in 2016 against the likes of Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, and others will probably not be effective against DeSantis in 2024. The former president has already started launching rhetorical attacks against the governor and has even been trying out various nicknames with which to label his opponent.
But incessantly harping on about “Ron DeSanctimonious,” “Shutdown Ron,” and his latest, “Meatball Ron” isn’t going to cut it. It was a brilliant strategy against people who are already reviled by the base. However, no matter how much Trump’s supporters want to paint DeSantis as an establishment hack, it won’t work against him because he has already proven he is more in line with America First than the Paul Ryans of the world.
If Trump wants to show the base that he still has what it takes to pursue an America First agenda in the White House, he has to focus on his achievements and downplay his greatest weakness: His handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, he is trying to portray DeSantis as someone who favored onerous lockdown orders. But the success of this tactic relies on the conservative voting base somehow forgetting that Trump championed shutdowns, even going so far as to criticize Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for opening his state too early.
Trump has to highlight his economic achievements and foreign policy accomplishments. He started no new wars while in office and was working to bring the troops back home. Moreover, before the pandemic hit, Americans were doing quite well economically. Even further, the former president exposed the establishment GOP for what it was: An elitist good ol’ boys club full of feckless opportunists. It will not be easy for DeSantis to counter, which leads to the next point.
DeSantis’ biggest flaw is that he is untested on the national stage. While he has done a decent job governing the Sunshine State, he is an unknown quantity when it comes to foreign policy, trade, and other important matters. Since he has not yet given his stance on these issues, it provides Trump with an opportunity to brand the governor, fairly or unfairly, in any way he wishes. Has DeSantis indicated in the past that he would support foreign military entanglements or trade policy that contradicts what the base wants? Trump better seize on any kernel of evidence to this effect to cast doubt on his America First bonafides.
Next, it is worth mentioning that Trump has a score to settle with the Deep State and those in the GOP who dogged him throughout his presidency. DeSantis has shown he knows how to take the fight to the left – especially when it comes to the activist media. But it does not seem likely that, if elected, he would do much to combat the overt and covert forces seeking to advance a progressive agenda even with a Republican president in charge.
This is not to say he would take no action against these forces, but let’s face it: Trump wants revenge and will likely do anything to get it. The former president smells blood and would relish the opportunity to fight these people on the national stage now that he knows what he is dealing with. This would probably not be one of DeSantis’ priorities and he might not be as keen on draining the swamp.
Of course, this means Trump will have to explain why he failed to drain the swamp while he was in office. It will also mean that he will have to sell his base on his plan for addressing issues pertaining to the Deep State and how he will reverse the disastrous course President Joe Biden has set this country on. He will also have to persuade voters that he is the best bet they have for ensuring Democrats no longer control the Executive Branch.
Last, but not least, Trump must get out of his own way. Even those who love Trump understand that he is his own worst enemy. Sometimes makes statements that are highly effective. Other times, he pulls out his revolver, aims it squarely at his foot, then pulls the trigger three times. He has to restrain himself from becoming enmeshed in silly and irrelevant feuds on social media. Now that he is allowed back on Twitter, this could become an issue. Unfortunately for him, Trump just can’t help himself, so this is not likely to happen. But it was still worth mentioning.
All in all, Trump has a favorable chance of picking up the GOP nomination again even though DeSantis would present a formidable opponent. The former president has history on his side and a die-hard conservative base that would love to give him another chance at the presidency. The question is: Can Trump and his team be disciplined enough to craft and employ a winning message?