Scoop: Trump's big-bang 2020 campaign launch
President Trump at a Make America Great Again rally, Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 27. Photo: Darren Hauck/Getty Images
President Trump plans to formally launch his re-election campaign next month, likely with a burst of swing-state rallies, Republican sources tell me.
Why it matters: Trump's personal campaign approach is aimed at sowing further division in the huge Democratic field and trying to dominate the news so the national discussion hovers on his turf.
What's next: In conversations, Trump makes it clear that he thinks of the official kickoff as June 16 — four years to the day since he rode down the gold escalator in Trump Tower to announce his improbable 2016 run.
- That date is Father's Day this year, so look for events around that date, not necessarily on it.
- One ignition plan calls for a cluster of Make America Great Again rallies, although nothing has been finalized.
Be smart: Watch for Trump and his campaign to try to sap attention from Democratic debates with their own counter-programming.
Go deeper: Trump's 2020 map from hell