The day after federal agents searched Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump told a group of conservative lawmakers, Hell," he said. meeting.
But some sounded like he was ready to work again.
Rep. Randy Weber of Texas, one of his 12 Republican congressmen who met with President Trump on August 9, said, "Don't let him deter you. I did," he said. A search for "pretty bad, but measured."
Since the meeting in Bedminster, New Jersey, federal agents have seized piles of top-secret documents and other top-secret documents, what has happened All put Trump where he and his supporters want him, according to people close to him from his resort. He is at odds with Washington agencies and the political establishment he says is trying to get him, an issue he brings up in meetings with lawmakers and in conversations with others.
According to those who have spoken with him over the past two weeks, this has reoriented Trump's thinking about whether to announce a presidential election before or after the midterms. They said Trump felt less pressure to make an early announcement. But there are other reasons to wait.
Now Trump has someone close to him who tends to run for office after his November election. spoke on condition of anonymity to speak more freely. An announcement after the midterm elections would suit Republican leaders who have urged Trump to hold off to avoid overshadowing his party's candidates. A few days after talking to him, "as always."
"He's already moved on. It's always been his thing," he said.
Still, his trajectory has him believing that Trump is shrugging off legal issues too soon and that he's coming to the fore and centering for the wrong reasons.
Two days after the Mar-a-Lago search, Trump filed 440 self-incriminations in a New York civil lawsuit targeting his business practices. You have exercised your right to avoid On Monday, his longtime friend and former attorney Rudy Giuliani was formallythe subject of an unrelated criminal investigation into an attempt to interfere with his 2020 election results in Georgia.. On Thursday, the former CFO of the Trump Organization pleaded guilty to tax evasion chargesand is expected to testify against the former president's eponymous business in a New York lawsuit. On the same day, federal prosecutors in open court raisedwitness intimidation and obstruction of justice,and,in an investigation of classified documents held in Mar-a-Lago, He claimed he opposed opening affidavits used in the search. club.
A series of revelations usually dashes a politician's hopes of a presidency. But according to six people close to him who spoke with him recently, but who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly, they, at least for now, have strengthened his resolve to run for president, leading to a paradoxical calm. giving him an aura of... multiple investigations surrounding him.
The Washington Post reported last week that his political committee had raised $1 million a day over his two days. Trump appears to be buoyed by increased fundraising, they said. NBC News. Trump is also enjoying an investigation that shows he's widening his lead against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a potential Republican primary, according to sources.Trump also outraged by FBI raids on his home They are also encouraged by focus groups showing Trump's soaring popularity among Republican voters who have voted for him, one of the sources said. Another described him as "over the moon" Tuesday night when his high-profile nemesis, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, lost the primary by a wide margin.
"Yes, there is a problem. He knows it," said another Trump supporter. "But really, he needs a fight to get his focus. He has it now. He has the feeling that he's in the arena."
Yet even some of Trump's most ardent supporters wonder how long his streak of fending off serious threats will last. Trump has said the investigation was a "hoax," but polls show voters don't think so.
One of Trump's closest allies, who hope to run for office in 2024, said the former president seems unaware of the dangerous position he finds himself in. He said: In reality, he is skating.
"The net seems to surround him more and more, and his ability to dance around these will become more and more challenging," said this ally. "It's a double-edged sword."
Another person close to Trump expressed concern that the former president was not taking the investigation seriously.
"Look, it was kind of weird when I talked to him. He doesn't really care or take all this happening seriously. "He thinks it's all about bulls---me too. But bulls--can still cause problems."
These problems are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. At a court hearing over the opening of the affidavit, a Justice Department official said the investigation into Mar-a-Lago's records was still in the "early stages." The investigation could be overshadowed by Trump during the 2024 election, forcing him to fend off a federal investigation backed by virtually unlimited U.S. government resources. there is.
But of all the potential legal threats facing Mr. Trump, some people close to him believe the unfolding criminal investigation in Georgia is the most pressing. Giuliani spent six hours before a grand jury in Atlanta this week after being told he was the "target" of an investigation, his attorney confirmed to NBC News. Attorneys declined to comment on his testimony. One attorney said the former New York City mayor "showed up" as needed.
It's a serious investigation," said the first person close to Trump, familiar with Trump's tendency to announce plans for 2024 after the midterm elections.
"It doesn't matter who you are," the source added. "This will cost you."
But for now, Trump appears to be solidifying Republican support since his unprecedented home raid. The FBI, according to multiple Republican operatives interviewed by NBC News, is a deep-rooted frustration among many Republicans that government agencies cannot be trusted when it comes to recovering records, and they are persecuting their only advocate.
Republican consultant Brendan Buck said, "I don't think his imprisonment will prevent him from winning the Republican nomination.
} Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist who runs focus groups among swing voters, said they seemed to have drifted away from the former president for most of the summer. , a common concern among voters was that he was doomed to lose the general election by carrying too much luggage, but that changed when the FBI arrived on Trump's doorstep on Aug. 8.
"Trump's boost to approval ratings is real," she said, adding that it was unclear "whether it will stick."
Elizabeth Preet-Havey, chairman of the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Republican Commission, said the past two weeks had "so far energized the party." Even Republicans who hate and hate Trump are wary of this news and want him to be our nominee.
Trump points to these same trend lines. He referred to Ally as a Politico/Morning Consult poll that showed a 10-point bounce againstDeSantisTrump was effectively tied with DeSantis for multiple nominations in 2024 before the FBI investigation, but has since led DeSantis by 52% to 20%, according to one source.
But while Trump favors polls that show his growing support among Republicans, Trump Lago Search and was released Wednesday.
Whenever Trump announces his plans for 2024, one of his assets could be in the background. Venues under discussion include Mar-a-Lago and the Trump National Doral Golf Club near Miami, according to people familiar with the matter.
} The advantage of both is that you can send a message to DeSantis, which means Trump isn't afraid to challenge the incumbent governor of Florida on his turf. will be "a direct hit on Ron DeSantis," said the first person close to Trump.
Caputo, a former Trump administration official and campaign adviser. , said he wasn't sure Trump wanted Mar-a-Lago as the location for his announcement, but was confident Trump was now completely unconcerned about serious primary opponents.
"I know he can raise as much money as he wants," said Caputo."No challengers."