Trump ‘24: When, Not If

Happy Thursday and welcome back to the second official edition of The Washington Mall, my newsletter for Puck focused on what’s really going on in this town.
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Good evening,

Happy Thursday and welcome back to the second official edition of The Washington Mall, my newsletter for Puck focused on what’s really going on in this town—in the White House, on the Hill, on K Street, and within the media covering it all. If you haven’t joined up already, you’ll now need to subscribe to Puck to read my work, which you can do right here.

In today’s email, I offer a detailed look at Trump’s growing anxiety and frustration in the face of a potent combination of events: the fallout from the January 6 committee, a lukewarm primary endorsement season, and DeSantis’s ascent. Meanwhile, I also break the news about a succession drama on Capitol Hill, offer some insight into the Ron Klain and Joe Biden dynamic, and explain why all eyes inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are focused on Jill Biden.

As ever, I welcome your feedback. Please respond directly to this email.

Have a great weekend,
Tara

P.S. As a reminder, you’re receiving the free version of The Washington Mall at . For full access to Puck, and to each of my colleagues, you can subscribe here.

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Trump’s Case of DeSantisitis

After a rocky primary season, Trump has DeSantis and his expanding $124 million war chest on the brain. Sources in Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster are saying that he’s likely to move up a ‘24 announcement in order to freeze out the next generation. Plus: updates on Klainworld and why all eyes inside the West Wing are focused on Jill Biden.

TARA PALMERI

It’s winter in Bedminster: Donald Trump’s golden endorsement was put to the test this primary season with a number of high profile races that came back with mixed results. With the election cycle halfway over, the line to kiss the ring has substantially shortened. And those who received Trump’s blessing in swing states have already started to distance themselves from him, like Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, who notably dropped Trump from his branding materials, or Herschel Walker in Georgia, who dissed Trump after winning the primary. Just months ago, ambitious Republicans were making pilgrimages to Mar-a-Lago to beg for his endorsements, hiring aides with connections to him and asking old rich guys, like Bob Kraft, to call in favors. Now, the sojourns to Bedminster are becoming more rare.

Trump is not only lonely, he’s in a slump. He’s absorbing hits almost daily via the January 6 committee, as his own closest aides have been questioning his judgment and sanity on the record. Even the former president’s greatest champions will quietly admit that it’s not a great look, especially since the party has done little to defend him. His own mode of defense, Truth Social, hasn’t taken off, either. At the same time, there has been a steady drumbeat of stories about how Ron DeSantis has become the new standard bearer: a fresher, less impulsive version of Trump, and with less insurrectionist baggage. DeSantis managed a net-neutral feature treatment in TheNew Yorker, and scored an early presidential endorsement from Trump’s hometown paper, TheNew York Post. (Also, I highly suggest reading my Puck partner Tina Nguyen’s excellent piece on the complex, airtight political relationship between DeSantis and his wife, Casey.)...