"Leaving the White House, but Not Defeated"… Trump Predicts 'Revenge Battle' in 4 Years(?)

Trump Confirmed as Second Highest Vote-Getter in History
Likely to Exert Influence via SNS and Broadcasts
Potential Role as GOP Leader
Expected to Reside in Florida, a Key Swing State, After Leaving Office

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] By ordering the commencement of the transition process, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed his intention to leave the White House voluntarily in January next year. Following President-elect Joe Biden, the winner of this election, Trump secured the second-highest number of votes in U.S. history and confirmed his support within the Republican Party, leading to expectations that he will continue to exert influence through political fronts or media even after leaving office.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 23rd (local time), President Trump issued instructions to begin the transition process while simultaneously expressing a contradictory stance of not conceding the election results. Although he stated he did not lose the election, he made clear his intention to step down from the presidency in January next year.

Regarding the election results, President Trump attempted to overturn the outcome through various legal and political challenges. U.S. media viewed Trump's pursuit of these challenges as not only an attempt to reverse the election results but also as a means to rally his support base.

U.S. media outlets such as The Washington Post (WP) also reported that Trump has been discussing a 2024 presidential run in private.

He could maintain strong influence in politics and media for four years after leaving office and then attempt a comeback. There is a similar precedent in U.S. history: former President Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd and 24th president.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

There are reasons behind these predictions. Beyond Trump's desire for power, he confirmed strong support from the Republican Party and conservatives by securing over 73 million votes in this election. Securing more than 10 million votes compared to the previous election indicates that his support base has solidified during his four years in office. Additionally, contrary to initial polls, the House of Representatives gained more seats compared to the last general election, and the Senate secured at least 50 seats, which is also attributed to the consolidation of Trump's support base.

This support base can be a solid political asset for President Trump. Moreover, his expertise in utilizing social networking services (SNS) and media such as broadcasting can also serve as his power base. For these reasons, there is analysis that Trump could become the explicit leader of the Republican Party.

It is highly likely that President Trump's residence will be Florida. This state has been a battleground in every U.S. presidential election. In this year's election, Trump won in Florida, where he was expected to be at a disadvantage, allowing him to compete with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for quite some time. Analysts say that Trump's move from his native New York to Florida and voting there paid off.

U.S. media such as The New York Times (NYT) reported that construction at the Mar-a-Lago Resort, known as Trump's "Winter White House," is nearing completion. Although this construction is at a level that supplements Trump's existing space, it is known to be carried out to make it more comfortable for the Trump family to stay.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Even the Secret Service, which protects current and former presidents, is reportedly reinforcing related facilities with the expectation that President Trump will reside at the Mar-a-Lago Resort.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.