Donald Trump has dropped his heaviest hint yet that he will make another run for the White House telling a rally he will “very, very, very probably do it again”.
The former US president told a crowd in Iowa to “get ready” as he teased a comeback in 2024.
There is speculation Mr Trump could throw his hat into the ring in the coming weeks, ahead of the national Thanksgiving holiday on 24 November, as he seeks to benefit from expected Republican gains in Tuesday’s midterm elections and steal a march on rivals.
Democrat electoral hopes have been battered by voter concerns about high inflation, while Joe Biden’s public approval rating consistently languishes below 50%.
Opposition parties also historically fare better in midterm elections.
Polls indicate the Republicans are poised to take control of the US House of Representatives and possibly the Senate as well, which would give them the power to block Mr Biden’s legislative plans for the next two years.
Addressing Republican supporters, Mr Trump said: “And now, in order to make our country successful and safe and glorious, I will very, very, very probably do it again.
“Get ready, that’s all I’m telling you, very soon. Get ready.”
One senior adviser told the Reuters news agency: “I think like a moth to a flame, Trump will run in 2024.
“I think that he wants to run and announcing before Thanksgiving gives him a great advantage over his opponents and he understands that.”
However, Mr Trump remains a divisive figure after his controversial four-year term that ended with the deadly assault on the US Congress by his supporters on 6 January 2021.
He has also continued to falsely claim his election defeat was the result of fraud.
Mr Trump currently faces a string of investigations, including an inquiry into classified documents he took from the White House after leaving office, some of which prosecutors say have not yet been recovered.
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A poll last month showed just 41% of Americans viewed him favourably.
Mr Trump has kept up a steady appearance at political rallies since leaving office, during which he has frequently signalled the possibility he would contest the presidency again.
He is expected to host family and friends at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday night to celebrate expected victories among candidates he backed in the midterms.
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A number of senior Republican figures are also considering whether to seek the party’s presidential nomination in 2024.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin and Mr Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence, are seen as among the among potential challengers.