US Elections 2024: Donald Trump says he won't run again if he is defeated this time

Former US President Donald Trump has announced that he will not seek the presidency again if he loses the upcoming November 5 election, marking an end to his pursuit of the White House. In an interview with Sharyl Attkisson on Full Measure, released on Sunday, Trump, 78, said, "That will be it. I don’t see that at all. Hopefully, we will be successful."

This would be Trump’s third consecutive bid for the presidency, having launched his 2024 campaign in November 2022. Despite his insistence on running, the race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris remains tight, with polls indicating a neck-and-neck contest in key battleground states. National surveys show Harris with a slight edge, but the outcome is still uncertain.

Trump's 2020 loss to President Joe Biden, which he continues to falsely attribute to widespread voter fraud, remains a significant issue. The former president faces multiple federal and state criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and portrayed the legal actions against him as politically motivated, vowing to continue his fight for the White House.

Over the course of his 2024 campaign, Trump has taken an increasingly combative stance, using dystopian rhetoric to warn of dire consequences if he is not re-elected. He has also embarked on various business ventures, including Trump Media, NFTs, and Trump-branded products like sneakers, coins, and cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, has framed the election as a pivotal moment for the future of American democracy. While acknowledging the significance of larger democratic principles, Harris has focused her campaign on practical, everyday concerns such as the rising costs of living and affordable housing for American families.

When asked whether the four-year gap since his last term helped him better identify trustworthy allies, Trump suggested that while continuity would have been preferable, the break revealed the "bad actors" he needed to avoid. "It would have been easier if I did it... contiguous," Trump remarked, "But the benefit is more than anything else, it shows how bad they were."

As the 2024 election draws near, Trump also commented on potential appointments to his cabinet should he win, saying it was "too early" to make decisions or deals regarding any positions.

The outcome of this election will determine whether Trump’s political journey ends or extends into an unprecedented second non-consecutive term in the White House.