Former Donald Trump aides Michael Cohen and John Bolton say their old boss won’t actually run again in 2024.
SO WHAT
On the one hand, the duo have famously broken away from Trump. On the other, they’ve worked closely enough with him in the past to know how his mind works.
WHAT HAPPENED
It’s no secret Bolton, Trump’s one-time national security advisor, and ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen disapprove of the former president, but each has a fresh take on why they believe Trump will skip out on 2024: his psychological aversion to being a loser.
What Cohen’s saying:
What Bolton’s saying:
WHY TRUMP MIGHT NOT RUN
In a piece published by The Atlantic on Sunday, White House correspondent Peter Nicholas laid out why “45” might take a pass on trying to become the country’s 47th president.
- Nicholas spoke to a Trump advisor who said joining Adlai Stevenson as one of history’s serial losers “would resonate” with the former president.
- “Trump hates losers,” the advisor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Atlantic.
- Trump ally Newt Gingrich expressed similar sentiments, telling Nicholas, “I don’t think he wants to risk losing twice.”
“Once, you can argue about the outcome. Twice, it becomes a repudiation,” Gingrich said.
YES, BUT
As Trump’s inner sanctum has noted, there are multiple reasons for him to take another crack at the presidency.
- Trump’s internal poll numbers look pretty good, a top political advisor emphasized to Politico.
- Trump is still boxing out his rivals, including his Florida governor, Ron DeSantis: “It’s not that Trump is complaining about Ron… but he likes to remind Ron and others that he made him,” a figure close to Trump told CNN.
- Trump wants revenge on Biden: Political observers, including former Trump aide, Stephanie Grisham, have said they believe Trump is obsessed with both a comeback and with the current president.
Meanwhile, Republicans want him to run: According to the prestigious Quinnipiac survey,nearly 80 percent of GOP voters want to see Trump back in office.
TO ALL THE SKEPTICS
Trump has teased presidential runs before – in 1988, in 2000, in 2012 – before finally running and winning in 2016. 
Those who have doubted the sincerity of his ambitions have been proved wrong before.
