Trump’s old doctor says former president planning 2024 run

Former President Donald Trump told his former doctor he’s going to run for president again in 2024, according to a report.

Texas Rep Ronny Jackson, who was the White House’s former top physician under Mr Trump, told Business Insider that his former boss has been “seriously considering” a 2024 run.

"He says he’s going to run so we’ll see," Mr Jackson told the outlet. "He has been saying he’s going to. He’s seriously considering it – he’s probably going to do it – so we’ll see what happens."

The former White House physician, who was endorsed by Mr Trump in his own 2020 district race over another GOP challenger, reportedly said he met with Mr Trump several weeks ago in Florida.

The former president is yet to officially confirm whether he will run again in 2024, with much speculation swirling surrounding his intentions since his departure from office.

Mr Trump revealed on Thursday that he will hold campaign-style rallies in Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and North Carolina. The events would be the first large-scale address of supporters since the 6 January insurrection.

“We’ll be announcing them very soon over the next week or two, and I think we’ll probably start in Florida and Ohio and we’ll be announcing the rallies very shortly,” the former president told One America News according to The New York Post.

In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business in April, the former president said he was “100 per cent thinking about running again” while promising: “We will be very successful”.

Until Mr Trump makes a decision either way, the fight for the nomination in the Republican party is effectively stalled, with many prospective candidates wary of stepping on the former president’s toes.

However, there have been reports that prospective successors for the 2024 race could include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

The high-profile Republicans with national ambitions have been cautiously laying the groundwork for campaigns as Mr Trump continues to mull whether to launch a third bid for the White House, the Associated Press previously reported.

“It’s a free country. Folks can do what they want”, Mr Trump’s adviser Jason Miller told the AP in response to the moves.

“But if President Trump does decide to run in 2024, the nomination will be his if you’re paying any attention to public polling of Republican voters”, Mr Miller added.

Despite overwhelming losses during the 2020 election, the former president still holds a firm grip on the party and many of its leaders, many of whom have remained in support of the president despite his second impeachment and other controversy surrounding the 6 January riots.