Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, Jr. launch their 2024 presidential campaigns at the RNC


If the first hour or so of the 2020 RNC was all about the transcendent awesomeness of Donald Trump, beginning around 10 p.m. the festivities shifted rather abruptly to an early preview of the 2024 race for the GOP nomination.
First came former UN ambassador Nikki Haley to make a mildly enthusiastic case for Trump's re-election combined with a soft-spoken but severe attack on Democratic nominee Joe Biden for the supposed failures of the Obama administration and the imposition of "socialism" that awaits during a Biden administration that would be led by "Pelosi, Sanders, and The Squad." Haley also flatly informed viewers, as a daughter of immigrants from India, that "America is not a racist country." It was a glimpse of how Haley is likely to sell herself to voters in four years — as a somewhat sunnier and subtler purveyor of Trumpian politics.
For those GOP voters who want something closer to the more pungent original, Donald Trump, Jr., showed how capable he is at dishing out the right-wing red meat his father slings in his Twitter feed and at rallies before cheering crowds. Don Jr.'s remarks were pure culture war venom from start to finish, delivered in a tone of insistent angry agitation. If that's what Republican voters crave in 2024 — and it's more likely they will if Trump, Sr. goes down to defeat later this year — Don Jr. showed that he'll be a leading contender in the "Twilight in America" lane.
Subscribe to 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.
There will be many other contenders for that prize four years from now — including, most likely, Vice President Mike Pence and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, both of whom will speak later this week. But on Monday night, it was all about Haley and Trump, and both showed that they will be formidable candidates if they decide to run.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Damon Linker is a senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also a former contributing editor at The New Republic and the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test.
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream' and 'Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television'
Feature Private equity and the man who created 'I Love Lucy' get their close-ups
-
Can Texas redistricting save the US House for the GOP?
Today's Big Question Trump pushes a 'ruthless' new plan, but it could backfire
-
Big, beautiful bill: Supercharging ICE
Feature With billions in new funding, ICE is set to expand its force of agents and build detention camps capable of holding more than 100,000 people
-
Deportations: Citizens could be next
Feature the Trump is expanding denaturalization efforts, targeting naturalized citizens and birthright citizenship
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Supreme Court: Ceding more power to Trump?
Feature SCOTUS has given Trump a victory by ending nationwide injunctions, limiting judges' power to block presidential orders
-
The Pam Bondi and Dan Bongino schism threatens Trump's DOJ
In the Spotlight Two MAGA partisans find themselves on either end of a growing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to White House officials
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day