What Do People Close To Donald Trump Say That He Really Wants?

Donald Trump's life has looked quite different since he left office in January. After departing D.C. (without attending Biden's inauguration, by the way), Trump has been hunkered down in his Mar-a-Lago compound in Palm Beach, Florida. According to sources, he hosts elaborate dinners in which he's greeted to applause when he enters the room. While some say his wife, Melania Trump, seems more than content to be out of the spotlight, others aren't so sure about how Trump feels.

Trump has been making the occasional political outing when he isn't hanging around his apartments in Mar-a-Lago. He spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February and he's been endorsing political candidates and speaking at republican rallies, per Politico. The real question on everyone's mind right now, though, is: Just what does Donald Trump want?

Read on to find out what experts have to say about the former president's next steps.

According to those close to Donald Trump, he's got big plans for the years ahead. During a September 21 "Morning Joe" appearance, Robert Costa revealed his sources had confirmed that Trump likely has his eye on another political run. "And you start to hear a certain refrain from people who really know him, that he wants back," Costa said, per The Hill. "He feels he has the political capital with his core supporters." Costa added that as far as Trump could tell, he was still the de facto ruler of the Republican Party. "Even though there are others out there with ambition like Vice President Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, it's President Trump who really wants back, based on our own reporting."

Bob Woodward, who also made an appearance on "Morning Joe" that day, chimed in to say that if Trump runs for president, according to a series of polls, there's a good a chance he could win. "And so there's this view of Trump as somebody who's this force in the Republican Party, which indeed he still is," Woodward said. "I think we've — in our reporting and talked about it, pretty clear Trump is going to run and some polls show he could beat Biden."

Even if he's got his eye on the White House, Trump may not be ready to give up the leisure that comes with retirement just yet. "He likes playing golf and he jokes; he's off Twitter and he has more time," Costa said.