May 20, 2019 - Politics & Policy

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

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