Trump Hints at Daughter-in-Law's Senate Run at Fundraising Event

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Former U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at a fundraising event and sparked attention by suggesting his daughter-in-law's run for the Senate.

According to Fox News on the 13th (local time), Trump appeared at a dog rescue fundraising event held at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida the day before and gave an impromptu speech. His second daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, participated as one of the hosts of the event.

In his speech, Trump praised, "Lara is truly amazing," and said, "I want to express my gratitude." He then said, "You will run for the Senate."

To the cheering audience, he added, "I heard she will run for the Senate election," and told Lara, "I am 100% with you."

Since his first public speech after leaving office at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a major annual event for conservatives, at the end of last month, Trump has rarely appeared in public since leaving the White House in January.

Lara is considering running for the Senate seat in her hometown of North Carolina. Incumbent Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina has announced he will not run in next year’s election.

Burr was one of seven Republican senators who voted guilty in the Senate impeachment trial against Trump and faced strong criticism from Trump supporters after the vote.

Fox News reported that Lara hinted at the possibility of running by retweeting polls in November and December last year showing she would be the leading Republican candidate if she entered the Senate primary.

The political media outlet The Hill reported, "Trump plans to play an active role in the 2022 midterm elections," adding, "He has already expressed opposition to some Republican lawmakers who criticized him after the January 6 Capitol riot."

Meanwhile, Trump has shown moves to maintain influence within the party, including suggesting a possible run in the 2024 presidential election during his CPAC speech. He is also engaging in "political retaliation" by supporting competitors against Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of impeachment for inciting the Capitol riot.

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