Former US President Donald Trump spoke to NDTV's Sreenivasan Jain.
Donald Trump has all but accepted that he'll be in the running for another term as US President in 2024. "Everyone wants me to run," he said, claiming that he's ahead in popularity polls so far, be it those in his party, the Republicans, or his rivals. "I'm leading in the polls, and every poll — Republican polls and Democrat polls. I'll make a decision in the very near future, I suspect. And I think that a lot of people are going to be very happy."
After serving a four-year term from 2016, Donald Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 in a fractious fight. But the businessman-turned-TV celebrity-turned-politician appears to be eyeing a comeback in 2024.
As part of an exclusive interview with NDTV, he was asked if his being on the road with Indian-American businessman Shalabh Kumar — his longtime associate and campaign donor — is an indication of his 2024 run. "We've been friends from before the last campaign and 2016 and then 2020," Mr Trump said about Shalabh Kumar.
He then spoke of his equation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi too: "I've had a great relationship to India and to Prime Minister Modi. We were... we've been friends. And I think he's a great guy and doing a terrific job. It's not an easy job he's got. So, but, we've known each other a long time. Good man." PM Modi had apparently backed Donald Trump at a 'Howdy Modi' event in 2019, just months ahead of the 2020 election.
Mr Trump, when asked what he means by "a lot of people will be happy" if he fights the election, said: "I think so. A lot of people will be; and a couple of people will be unhappy."
Shalabh Kumar, who was next to Mr Trump, was asked if it's now obvious that Mr Trump is a candidate. "Of course, he should run again. That's our view. And you know, it'll be great if he runs again. I mean, our community, they will just love to have 'Trump 47'," he said, referencing a campaign pitch to make Mr Trump the 47th President of the United States.
On whether there is any other contender within the Republican Party, Mr Kumar said, "He is the Republican Party."
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