Hours after leaving the White House at the end of his first term in January 2021, Donald Trump knew he had to run again for the presidency.
That revelation came during a somber family dinner in Palm Beach, Florida, the night the Trumps returned from Washington after the bitter aftermath of the 2020 election, according to Lara Trump in an episode of New York Post columnist Miranda Devine's "Pod Force One" podcast released Wednesday.
Lara Trump told Devine the family was "in a place of despair" as they took their final Air Force One flight to Florida, with "no one" having much to say.
But before dinner began, she recalled, Donald Trump looked around at the family and delivered a blunt verdict: "Well, kids, I've got to do it again."
The remark underscored what Lara Trump repeatedly described as her father-in-law's defining trait: perseverance — a refusal to retreat even when political and media attacks are at their peak.
In the interview, she framed the moment as proof that Trump's resilience — not consultant-crafted messaging — powered the comeback that ultimately returned him to the Oval Office.
The "Pod Force One" conversation also revisited how Trump first broached the idea of running in 2015, in a family setting before the famous escalator ride, and warned that if he did it "right," political opponents would "come after" not only him but the entire family.
Those predictions proved prescient as Donald Trump endured years of investigations, indictments, and civil litigation, all while remaining the dominant figure in Republican politics.
Lara Trump recounted meeting Donald Trump early in her relationship with Eric Trump — at the U.S. Open in New York — and said the public largely sees the same man behind closed doors: direct, energetic, and comfortable as the center of attention.
In one disarming detail, she described Donald Trump breaking the tension by offering to get her ice cream, a moment she said helped her realize she could "get through this."
Lara Trump compared the family's experience to "Olympic training," saying the escalating attacks only hardened their resolve.
The podcast also touched on the Trump family's expanding public roles, including Lara Trump's transition between party leadership and media, reflecting how the political fight now extends beyond rallies and debates into the cultural arena, where Republicans increasingly argue the stakes are nothing less than the country's direction.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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