Trump suggests he’ll launch his 2024 presidential campaign on Nov. 15

WASHINGTON — After weeks of intensifying speculation, former President Donald Trump said Monday that he will make a “big announcement” on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he is expected to launch his 2024 presidential campaign.

“I’m going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump said at a Save America rally in Vandalia, Ohio on the eve of the midterm elections. “We want nothing to detract from the importance of tomorrow,” he added, seemingly in an effort to explain why he wasn’t announcing his run that same night.

Trump was reportedly considering whether to announce the start of his third presidential campaign on the eve of Election Day, but national Republicans feared his announcement would energize Democrats and potentially alienate independent voters.

The remarks came near the end of a more than 90 minute speech during which Trump railed against Democrats, judges who have ruled unfavorably in cases against his family, run down U.S. airports and above all, President Joe Biden.

A Trump spokesman did not respond to a request from CNBC to confirm that his Nov. 15 event will be a campaign launch.

But Trump is eager to launch his third campaign for president, and preparations for campaign infrastructure and staffing have ramped up significantly in recent weeks, with an early list of top aides already having come together.

Trump’s speech in Ohio included relatively few mentions of the Republican candidates he was in the state to promote, although they were invited up on stage for brief remarks with Trump.

Instead, his remarks sounded far more like a tailor-made rally speech for his own upcoming presidential campaign, with strong echoes of his 2016 campaign speeches.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.