Trump is about to officially launch his 2020 re-election bid with a rally in Orlando


President Trump will officially launch his re-election campaign at a rally in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday night, somewhat paradoxically pitching himself as a political outsider who has kept his promises during his 29 months as president, according to advisers. Trump has already described his audience Tuesday night as record-setting, and he is expected to fill the 18,500-seat Amway Center — some fans are already camping outside. He will reportedly tout the strong economy and his actions on taxes, military spending, and confirming conservative judges.
Trump will be joined onstage by wife Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of his family and 2016 campaign. He is struggling in the polls — both public and leaked internal ones — apparently angry about the leak, his approval rating has hovered around 40 percent all term, and his campaign's abrupt firing of three of its five pollsters has only highlighted the chaos and internal strife inside the Trump orbit. One of the fired pollsters ran the firm started by senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, "and advisers said the ouster of the three firms was primarily targeted as a jab at her," supported by senior Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, The Washington Post reports.
Trump's campaign says the president's campaign is in good shape, his loyal base doesn't care about internal campaign dynamics, and the polls are meaningless this far out from the 2020 election. "Nothing will get in the way of the tremendous kickoff and the momentum the president will have and sustain through Election Day next year," said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Music reviews: Chance the Rapper, Cass McCombs, and Molly Tuttle
Feature "Star Line," "Interior Live Oak," and "So Long Little Miss Sunshine"
-
Film reviews: Eden and Honey Don't!
Feature Seekers of a new utopia spiral into savagery and a queer private eye prowls a high-desert town
-
Critics' choice: Three chefs fulfilling their ambitions
Feature Kwame Onwuachi's grand second act, Travis Lett makes a comeback, and Jeff Watson's new Korean restaurant
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other cities
speed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material