Donald Trump has announced his third straight presidential bid, in an extremely rare attempt by a former US leader to recapture the White House after losing an election.
The speech, which clocked in at more than an hour, was largely a mix of boasts about his presidential record and attacks on the first two years of Joe Biden’s presidency.
On display were some of Trump’s continued strengths. He has an unmatched sense of which issues are important to grass-roots conservatives, such as immigration and crime.
His unpredictable and inflammatory style can drive news coverage and deny the spotlight to his competitors. He has a base of loyal supporters and can motivate typically unengaged Americans to vote. And after four years in office, many of those supporters hold positions of authority within the Republican Party.
But his speech also highlighted some of Trump’s key weaknesses.
He glossed over the hardships and missteps during the Covid pandemic and totally ignored his months of election denial that culminated in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters.
He attempted to defend the Republican Party’s tepid performance in last week’s midterm election and his support for losing candidates, which has led to growing criticism from conservative ranks.
Trump said the task ahead was not one for a “conventional candidate”, but for a movement of millions of people – his movement, his people and his campaign.
The way Charles Mchacha is castigating the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Hon Kondwani Nankhumwa, is just testimony enough that Read more
If you thought Malawians are lazy people, I bet you a Dinosaur, think twice and you will know, check in Read more
The recent arrest in Malawi of three opposition politicians accused of planning to unseat President Peter Mutharika is dissent from Read more
The US embassy has denied involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the president, Peter Mutharika. Analysis Media reports that Read more