U.S. President Donald Trump teased running again for the presidency in 2024 as he hosted a holiday reception at the White House on Tuesday evening.
“It’s been an amazing four years,” Trump told the crowd, which included many Republican National Committee members.
“We’re trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years.”
The AP reported that the video of Trump’s appearance was streamed live on Facebook by one attendee, Pam Pollard, who is national committeewoman for the Oklahoma GOP.
It showed dozens of people crammed into the Cross Hall of the White House state floor, standing closely together.
Many seen in the video were not wearing masks.
The Trumps began hosting holiday receptions this week, intent on celebrating a final season before Trump leaves office on January 20.
According to social media postings, the events have featured large crowds of often maskless attendees gathered indoors — violating the very public health guidance the US government has pressed the nation to follow this holiday season as cases of Covid-19 skyrocket across the country.
In the video, Trump is heard continuing to air baseless allegations of election fraud to explain his defeat by President-elect Joe Biden.
He repeated the claim despite his attorney-general, William Barr, telling the AP earlier that the Justice Department had not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud and had seen nothing that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
“It’s certainly an unusual year. We won an election. But they don’t like that,” Trump told the group.
“I call it a rigged election, and I always will,” he added.
