Last Updated on January 25, 2021
Today President Donald J. Trump announced the Office of the Former President, staffed by President Trump’s former White House advisors. According to a statement from the Office of the Former President, Trump will continue to push for his America First agenda using the Office.
“Today, the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, formally opened the Office of the Former President,” the statement began.
“The Office will be responsible for managing President Trump’s correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities to advance the interests of the United States and to carry on the agenda of the Trump Administration through advocacy, organizing, and public activism.”
“President Trump will always and forever be a champion for the American People,” the statement concludes.
— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) January 25, 2021
CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins noted that the Office will be “run by former White House aides” and will operate from “Palm Beach, Florida.”
Trump has now established the "Office of the Former President," which is run by former White House aides and "will be responsible for managing President Trump’s correspondence, public statements, appearances, and official activities" from Palm Beach, Florida.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 25, 2021
There has been much speculation about if, when, and how President Trump would return to the political stage.
Some questions seemed to be answered when he broke his uncharacteristic post-presidency silence to endorse Kelli Ward’s reelection bid to gain a second term as the Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman.
Following President Trump’s endorsement, Ward’s reelection was a success. She won 51.5% of the vote, with another Trump ally earning 48.5%.
It is such an honor to have President Donald Trump’s total & complete endorsement as I run for re-election as @AZGOP Chairwoman! 🇺🇸#Humbled #Blessed #AmericaFirst pic.twitter.com/y8U2ZcepjL
— Dr. Kelli Ward 🇺🇸 (@kelliwardaz) January 23, 2021
This move appears to have been foreshadowed by former Trump adviser Jason Miller, who indicated that President Trump would use his time out of office to advocate for election integrity across the country, and would use his dynamic influence to campaign for candidates willing to enact his agenda.
It is also worth noting that there is a similarity in naming conventions between the Office of the Former President, which President Trump established today, and the fictional Office of the President-Elect that Joe Biden claimed to represent during the two month period that President Trump contested the 2020 election. Biden’s fictional office was widely mocked by conservatives.
It remains unclear if President Trump is planning a return to presidential politics in 2024.