Trump will return to DC for the first time since he skipped Biden's inauguration – as advisor says there's a '70-30 chance' he announces a comeback bid this fall

  • Donald Trump is returning to Washington D.C. this month for the first time since leaving the White House when his term ended in January 2021 
  • The former president will be the keynote speaker at the America First Agenda Summit on July 26 
  • He will join dozens of Republican lawmakers and former White House officials
  • The location has not yet been announced for security reasons 
  • Report shows that two sources claim Trump is considering announcing his bid for the White House in September 
  • Aides urged the ex-president to hold off on announcing until after the 2022 midterm election

By Katelyn Caralle, U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Donald Trump will make his grand return to the nation's capital in less than two weeks – stepping foot in Washington D.C. for the first time since leaving office as he weighs a fall announcement for another White House bid. 

The former president will headline the two-day America First Agenda Summit on July 26, according to a Tuesday Axios report.

His return to D.C. soil comes amid the televised January 6 select committee hearings and speculation that Trump's grip on the Republican Party is slipping – with a new poll showing that nearly half of GOP voters want to see a different candidate on the 2024 presidential ballot.

The trip also comes as the former president weighs announcing his 2024 run as early as September, two Trump advisers told The Washington Post.

Many aides and advisers have urged Trump not to announce an official bid for the presidency until after the 2022 midterms to avoid upending those elections, but one source claims the odds are '70-30 he announces before the midterms.'

Trump has teased his candidacy at almost every rally for the last year, but has made no formal announcement while telling supporters they will be 'very happy' with what he has to say in due time.

'If Trump is going to run, the sooner he gets in and talks about winning the next election, the better,' said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. 'It will refocus his attention — less grievance, more about the future.'

Donald Trump is returning to Washington D.C. this month for the first time since leaving the White House when his term ended in January 2021. The former president will be the keynote speaker at the America First Agenda Summit on July 26

Donald Trump is returning to Washington D.C. this month for the first time since leaving the White House when his term ended in January 2021. The former president will be the keynote speaker at the America First Agenda Summit on July 26

The America First Policy Institute summit this month will feature high profile Republican leaders, including former Trump officials, members of Congress and state officials and governors.

Trump will deliver the keynote address at 3:00 p.m. on the second day of the summit July 25-26.

Attendees need an invitation to go to the summit in-person, but anyone, including press, can register online to stream it live. The specific location of the event has not yet ben announced due to security concerns, Axios reported.

Members of Trump's administration lead the non profit research institute America First Policy Institute – this includes former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, former Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow and former Director of the Domestic Policy Council Brooke Rollins. All three will attend and speak at the retreat.

Also on the attendee and speakers list are eight ex-cabinet officials, including former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, former Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker and former Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie.

Eight other White House officials will also be there, including former Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway and former chief of staff to national security adviser John Bolton; as well as 13 House members, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and GOP Whip Steve Scalise.

Ten senators will join the summit – Ted Cruz of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Rick Scott of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, James Langford of Oklahoma, Mike Braun of Indiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Steve Daines of Montana, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will also be there.

The summit is expected to focus on lowering energy and gas prices and combating inflation. It will also 'control' of children's education, crime and the border, among other issues

Meanwhile, a New York Times/Siena College poll released Tuesday shows that nearly half of GOP voters want to see a different candidate on the 2024 presidential ticket – but the support is split among at least five other politicians.

While 49 percent still want to see Trump run, another 25 percent say they would rather have Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on a Republican ticket.

Another 7 percent want to see Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who ran in 2016. Both former President Mike Pence and Trump-era U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley earned 6 percent in the poll.

Only 2 percent said they would want to see former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo run.

Nearly one in five Republicans say that Trump 'went so far that he threatened American democracy' with his actions surrounding the January 6 Capitol attack, while 75 percent of primary voters say the former president was 'just exercising his right to contest the election.'

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