Trump kicked off the 2024 presidential campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina

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Former President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail Saturday for the first time since announcing his 2024 presidential bid, saying he is “angrier” and “more committed” to winning the presidency as his former political allies weigh in. of bids to potentially challenge him for the GOP nomination.

“The 2024 election is our one shot to save our country, and we need a leader who is ready to do that on day one,” Trump told supporters at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, before suggesting that he the GOP candidate best suited to win in 2024.

Trump delivered similar speeches at both stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina, mostly focused on the Biden administration’s handling of foreign policy issues such as the war in Ukraine, US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and immigration on the US-Mexico border.

“Through weakness and incompetence, Joe Biden has brought us to the brink of a third world war,” Trump said in South Carolina, saying he could end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine within the first 24 hours of his presidency. presidency. He also repeated his infamous speech in 2015 — when he first announced his candidacy — in which he called immigrants entering the country through Mexico “murderers,” “murderers, ” “rapists” and “terrorists.”

Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, on January 28, 2023. Bloomberg via Getty Images

The twice-impeached former president repeated many of the same lies and misinformation about the 2020 election that he has experienced since losing to Mr. Biden in November of 2020.

Trump falsely claimed he “won two general elections” and alleged that Democrats are “good at stealing elections,” lines that drew applause from his audience at the New Hampshire Republican State Committee in Salem. There is no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud in 2020.

The rallies come as former Trump political allies consider their own campaigns for the GOP nomination in 2024, such as former Vice President Mike Pence, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and former Secretary of State which is Mike Pompeo.

Trump also spoke to reporters from New Hampshire to South Carolina, telling reporters he spoke with Haley — the former governor of South Carolina. He said he called her this week to tell her he was considering running against her. Trump said he told Haley she “should do it.”

In the plane press gaggle, Trump focused on the potential candidate who could pose the biggest threat to his third White House bid: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I elected him,” Trump said of DeSantis, whose anti-COVID-19 policies, and conservative stance on social issues, have made him a favorite in key states like New Hampshire.

“Ron wouldn’t have been governor if it wasn’t for me,” Trump said.

During the invitation-only event in South Carolina, Trump announced his state campaign leadership team, which includes Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Lindsey Graham – who both announced they would endorse Trump for re-election.

In his nearly 50-minute long speech, Trump addressed about 200 conservatives and affirmed that Republicans will take back the White House in 2024.

“On your vote next year. We’re going to do it again and I’m going to do it again. It’s not my campaign. It’s going to be our campaign,” Trump said.

Many of those who attended the event in South Carolina were Trump supporters ready to recommit to him by voting in his favor.

“He has the personality. He has morals. He has the business stand. He is down to earth. He takes care of people,” Robin Holley told CBS News.

Holley is a South Carolina Trump supporter who is part of an online group called Trump Girls.

“We just need Trump to get back in there to set us straight again, and get us back on track, and then put Santos back in office,” he said.

Other attendees were less vocal, saying they were there to listen to what Trump had to say with the goal of evaluating whether he really was the right candidate.

“My voice needs to be heard and that’s what I’m going with,” Ross F. Ward told CBS News.

Ward said he has been a supporter of Trump in the past, but acknowledged that the former president has made mistakes.

“He needs to humble himself,” Ward said. “If you want to lead the free world, Donald Trump, you have to humble yourself and admit when you’re wrong.”

Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 on allegations that he betrayed the country for his own political gain and obstructed congressional investigations into his actions.

In January of 2021, he was impeached again, this time for his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to oversee the investigation into classified documents seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in August by the FBI. A special grand jury in Georgia is also investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in that state.

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