Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of US President Donald Trump, has hinted that he may run for office and try to succeed his father as president of the United States. "I don't know, maybe someday," Trump Jr. said Wednesday at the Qatar Economic Forum when asked whether he would consider running.
He sat on the same stage as investor Omeed Malik and joked about the applause: "Maybe it was just a few people who knew us (applauding)."
Trump Jr. spent most of his career working at the Trump Organization, which specializes in high-end real estate development. He is also a strong supporter of Trump's economic policies. During Trump's second term, Trump Jr.'s influence increased day by day, and he actively promoted J.D. Vance to serve as vice president.
“I feel like my dad really changed the Republican Party,” Trump Jr. said. "No matter how you look at it, it is now the party of America First, the party of MAGA (Make America Great Again)."
Although Trump Jr. rarely talks publicly about his political ambitions, he has become more outspoken in recent years. He made frequent campaign appearances, appeared on television and gave a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention.
Although the U.S. Constitution sets a limit of two presidential terms, Trump's own statements have led to speculation that he may try to find a way to run again in 2028. During his first term, daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner were key advisers in the administration. This time, they were largely behind the scenes.
In contrast, Trump Jr. became the most watched member of the family after his father returned to the White House. However, he does not have an official role in the White House, instead choosing to join 1789 Capital, an investment firm focused on conservative-leaning businesses, which was founded by Malik.
At the forum in Doha, Trump Jr. also criticized Europe's business environment and compared it with Gulf countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Trump visited the three countries last week and announced hundreds of billions of dollars in investment deals with American companies.
“If you compare what’s going on here to what’s going on in Western Europe, this is where the rational investment is,” Trump Jr. said. "People are working hard and not facing such an oppressive regulatory environment."