Fox News political analyst Brit Hume, who said earlier this week that Donald Trump’s “star has faded,” trashed the former president Wednesday for announcing his 2024 candidacy so early. (Watch the video below.)
“I’m not sure what the strategy is here, or if there is one,” Hume said.
Anchor Bret Baier noted that even Trump administration alums are shying away from him. (Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, among other ex-loyalists, is weighing his own presidential bid.)
That prompted Hume to note that Trump’s popularity has “ebbed away.” Given his supposedly diminished status, Hume said Trump would perform better against a crowded GOP primary field, rather than one or two prominent foes. But his early declaration, made Tuesday about two years before the 2024 general election, will likely shrink the competition.
“I guess the hope is that there will be a splintered field, and even with a minority, a plurality of Republicans, he could win the nomination,” Hume said. “I don’t see how announcing this early, however, helps that, because I think one thing that an announcement early by one of the big dukes in a party tends to do is keep other people from getting in the race.”
“What he needs is a lot of people in the race.” Hume said.
The poor midterm showing of Trump-backed candidates, many of whom promoted his false claims of 2020 election fraud, hurt Trump’s command of the party.
Wednesday’s confirmation that the GOP is taking back the House with a slim majority brightened the mood for Republicans. But Hume didn’t appear so optimistic about Trump 2024.
