US election: Trump mulls run for presidency in 2024 despite contesting result

Donald Trump has told advisers that he is thinking about running for the US presidency again in 2024 if the election is certified for Joe Biden, US media outlets have reported.

First the news website Axios and then the New York Times reported that the US President has floated the idea of another run with advisers even as he contests this election result.

Individuals are barred from serving more than two terms as US president but the law does not stop them from serving one term, leaving office for four years, then serving another.

Trump has also formed a so-called leadership political action committee, or PAC, which will allow him to continue to wield influence over the party in the coming years.

The formation was spotted when fundraising requests from the Trump campaign included a reference that some funds would go to "Save America".

Some embassy officials have been told to avoid helping Biden with foreign leaders who want to congratulate him. Diplomats could not even begin enumerating Trump administration successes for fear of describing it in the past tense. @jakesNYT https://t.co/ugWvuePzrm

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) November 11, 2020

Tim Murtaugh, a Trump campaign spokesman, told the New York Times the committee had existed for some time.

"The President always planned to do this, win or lose, so he can support candidates and issues he cares about, such as combating voter fraud," Murtaugh said.

The two developments are a reminder that after Trump leaves office on January 20, 2021, he will continue to be a force in the Republican Party.

Trump picked up at least six million more votes in the 2020 election than he did in 2016, an indication of the sway he still holds over a major chunk of Republican supporters.

Biden taps proponents of stricter Wall Street rules for his agency review teams during transition https://t.co/ivBXGzY8AV

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 11, 2020

If he runs for the White House again, Trump will know it will be Republican voters - who overwhelmingly approve of his handling of the presidency, according to polls - who will pick the party's 2024 nominee.

Should Trump decide not to run, he could effectively become kingmaker, with his nod potentially the most sought-after endorsement of a Republican campaign.

Already it is notable how leading Republican figures who may launch a 2024 bid, such as senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, have weighed in behind Trump's legal challenges of the election.