“In his latest round of will-he-or-won’t-he, Donald Trump on Sunday got closer than ever to indicating he will run for president again, telling Fox Business he’s already made up his mind but can’t reveal his answer because of campaign finance issues. The thing is, experts told The Daily Beast, in his quest to avoid violating election laws, Trump may have done just that. Asked on Sunday about a possible 2024 bid, the former president told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, ‘I do know my answer, but I can’t reveal it yet because that has to do with campaign financing.’ He added, ‘We’re going to do very well,’ and said CNN and MSNBC ‘are gonna come out and endorse me’ because, he claimed, his candidacy will increase viewership” the Daily Beast reports.
“While Trump is notorious for playing games about the true intentions of his remarks, he’s previously said he’s already made up his mind. But his statements to Bartiromo – including a reference to endorsements – suggest he may have crossed into new territory, at least in the eyes of the Federal Election Commission. For Trump, the question carries consequences for his overall fundraising potential, as well as his work with the dark-money nonprofit backing his social media class-action lawsuit. According to the FEC, a candidate must file official reports with the government after he or she decides to run and raises or spends more than $5,000. However, the agency also provides a ‘testing the waters’ exemption. That allows potential candidates to raise and spend money while they weigh their decision, without having to file reports. That exemption, however, comes with an important caveat: that money used in this period is subject to federal campaign finance limits.”