No matter what they were or were not saying publicly, the members of Donald Trump’s immediate family knew that he was leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January, ending any further opportunity for them to participate in the mismanagement of their country. 

Will he or won’t he? 

The number one question right now is whether Trump will run again in 2024. As the former president departed the White House, he commented that he would “be back in some form,” prompting questions over whether the divisive Republican could run for office again in 2024.  Although Trump will be 78 in 2024, his age will likely not be a factor since Biden turned 78 last month. In fact, CNN reported that Trump may have shown his hand at a recent White House Christmas party, when he told attendees, “We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.” Politico has also reported that uncertainty about Trump’s future plans has some other potential GOP candidates for 2024 holding off on deciding if they will run for president that year. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has said that if Trump decides to seek office again, “he will certainly be the front-runner and will probably be the nominee.”

There’s also speculation in some quarters that Trump will be mired in legal problems and possibly prosecution in the coming year, stemming from more than a dozen investigations and civil suits that are said to be ongoing. But if that happens, it is expected for him to fight back, knowing his history of resilience, as detailed in his 2008 book Never Give Up, How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success. The first chapter details “the lowest moment in [his] life and how [he] fought back,” which Trump said occurred in March of 1991, when The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times published articles about him being billions of dollars in debt.

Donald Trump Jr.

So far, Donald Trump Jr. has promoted himself as a future presidential possibility in order to “make the libs heads explode.” Jason Miller, a senior adviser on Trump’s re-election campaign, told The New York Times, ““Don Jr. represents the emotional center of the MAGA universe.”He’s become a full-time pro-Trump pundit who has traveled the country (before the virus struck the globe) in support of his father’s presidency and 2020 campaign, becoming one of the most-requested speakers at Trump’s campaign events. As social distancing and strict mask-wearing has been enforced, Trump Jr. changed public appearance plans and has grown to be a top virtual fundraiser for the party. But does he have what it takes?

 Although Trump Jr. has made a name for himself throughout his father’s presidency, America does not know Trump Jr. without a Trump. The president’s son built his own brand in the last two years as he published two books and launched a podcast where he tends to avoid political discussion on it. Yet, so much of Trump Jr.’s beliefs and ideas are associated with his father’s, as he continues to follow Trump’s political path, rather than shape his own. While Donald Trump may have lost in November, Trump Jr. could, however, start fresh and frame his own political path for future presidency. Even though polls have voted in favor of his candidacy and followers think he has a strong chance of running for presidency one day, Trump Jr. has made it clear in the past that he has “no intention” of fighting for the White House in 2024.