As the 2024 US presidential election season heats up with Donald Trump seeking a return to the White House, the Trump family is already casting a longer shadow over America’s political future. This time, however, the speculation does not revolve solely around the patriarch. Comments made recently by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr have hinted at the possibility of another Trump – perhaps one of the children – entering the race for the presidency in 2028.
In an interview with the Financial Times on June 27, Eric Trump responded coyly when asked whether a member of the Trump family would run for president in the 2028 election. “Who knows?” he said. “There’s more people than just me” who could potentially take on that mantle, signaling that discussions about extending the Trump political brand are far from hypothetical within the family’s inner circle.
Eric and his older brother Donald Jr have co-managed the Trump Organization since 2017, when their father assumed the presidency and formally transferred operational control of his business empire to avoid conflicts of interest. Eric has primarily overseen Trump Hotels, the family’s global luxury hotel chain, while also supporting his father’s political ambitions from behind the scenes.
The Trump Organization has remained a subject of scrutiny, facing legal and ethical questions during and after Donald Trump’s presidency. However, the Trump sons maintain that their involvement in politics has come at personal and financial cost – not gain. “We had not profited from politics,” Eric said in the interview, pushing back against criticism that the family used Donald Trump’s presidency to enrich themselves. He emphasized that the family has spent significant resources defending themselves from state and federal investigations, including allegations related to business ties with Russia.
Donald Trump Jr, in particular, has taken on an increasingly political role. A firebrand voice in the conservative movement, he has become a staple on the campaign trail, conservative media, and Republican fundraising circuits. In his remarks, he slammed the political establishment, saying he was “wholly unimpressed by half the politicians I see,” and claimed he could “do politics very effectively.” While not a direct announcement, his confidence and sustained visibility in Republican circles suggest a clear desire to stay politically relevant, if not politically active.
The prospect of another Trump presidential campaign beyond 2024 is not a new concept. The Trump name has become synonymous with American populist conservatism, and for many within the Republican base, it represents a brand of politics defined by disruption, nationalism, and media warfare. Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP remains dominant, and the idea of a political dynasty has only become more feasible with time.
Notably, the Trump family has already shown a tendency to embed themselves within the political apparatus. Ivanka Trump served as director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship during her father’s administration, where she led various initiatives on workforce development and women’s economic empowerment. Her husband, Jared Kushner, played a central role in Middle East diplomacy and pandemic response efforts. Meanwhile, Lara Trump – Eric’s wife – served as a senior advisor during the 2020 campaign and was recently appointed co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), further consolidating the family’s grip on the party infrastructure.
Donald Trump Jr., who played a key role as a campaign fundraiser and surrogate in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, remains deeply popular with Trump’s core supporters. His combative style, social media prowess, and open contempt for the political elite have made him a darling of right-wing influencers. His willingness to propagate claims of election fraud in 2020, along with his consistent attacks on the Biden administration, suggest that he sees himself not only as a defender of his father’s legacy but also as a potential standard-bearer for the future of the Trump political machine.
Though no formal campaign announcements have been made by either Eric or Donald Jr, the groundwork for a future run may already be underway. The younger Trumps have significant name recognition, a built-in donor base, and unrivaled access to the conservative media ecosystem. Should Donald Trump win or lose in 2024, the family is positioned to keep the political torch burning well into the next decade.
However, the road ahead is not without obstacles. The Trump name continues to polarize American voters. While revered among conservatives, particularly in rural and working-class regions, it is deeply reviled among Democrats and independents wary of the chaos and controversy that accompanied Trump’s presidency. Legal entanglements surrounding the Trump Organization and the former president himself may also cast a long shadow over any political ambitions from within the family.
Moreover, the concept of political dynasties – once a hallmark of American politics with the Kennedys, Bushes, and Clintons – has become more controversial in the populist era. Many voters who supported Donald Trump did so out of frustration with entrenched political families. Whether that sentiment would extend to a second-generation Trump candidate remains to be seen.
Still, for the Trump family, the appetite for political power has not waned. The strategic placement of family members within key Republican institutions, their ongoing visibility in the media, and their continued cultivation of a loyal voter base all point toward an intention to remain a dominant force in American politics.
As the 2024 election approaches and speculation intensifies about the post-Trump era – whether it begins in 2025 or 2029 – one thing appears increasingly likely: the Trump political brand is not going away. And with Eric Trump’s recent comments and Donald Jr.’s unabashed political flirtations, the next act of the Trump saga may already be taking shape.
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Jennifer Hicks is a columnist and political commentator writing on a large range of topics.
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