A former Trump campaign adviser apparently threw cold water on rumors that the former president is considering creating a third party.
Jason Miller, who served as a senior adviser to the president’s reelection campaign, told CNN that former President Donald Trump “has made clear his goal is to win back the House and Senate for Republicans in 2022. There’s nothing that’s actively being planned regarding an effort outside of that.”
Miller’s comments come days after the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump discussed the idea of creating a separate conservative “Patriot Party” with several aides.
The president’s relationship with the Republican Party remains tenuous following President Biden’s inauguration as the party grapples with the impending Senate impeachment trial.
Trump was impeached earlier this month for “incitement of insurrection” after he encouraged supporters who attended a rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 to march to the Capitol to express their displeasure with Congress’s intent to certify Biden’s electoral victory. Violence broke out as many protesters breached the building, which led to five deaths and more than 100 arrests. Many people showed up with firearms, and undetonated explosives were found as well.
If the Senate votes to convict Trump, which requires a two-thirds vote, they could vote to bar him from holding office in the future. Despite Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell signaling a willingness for both himself and other members of the Republican Party to support the president’s conviction, it seems like a long shot that enough of the party would turn on the president.
Miller warned, however, that “it’s completely up to Republican senators if this is something that becomes more serious,” which was a reference to a potential conviction.
Richard Grenell, who served as an ambassador and as acting director of national intelligence during the Trump administration, also shot down talk about Trump forming his own party.
“No, we should not start the Patriot Party. We should work very hard on the Republican Party,” he told Newsmax on Saturday.
“Clearly, Donald Trump is a Republican and should run again as a Republican,” Grenell added.
The president held his cards close to the vest on Friday, telling the Washington Examiner, “We’ll do something, but not just yet,” as he sat at his regular table in the Grill Room of the Trump International Golf Club.
