Donald Trump Will Drop Out of 2024 Race, Former Staffer Predicts

Donald Trump is likely to end up "dropping out" of the 2024 presidential race before the Iowa caucus, according to Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as his White House communications director in 2017.

Scaramucci made the prediction during an appearance on Chris Cuomo's NewsNation show on Monday, where he said Trump is likely "stressed out" following his indictment over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Polling indicates Trump is by some margin the most popular candidate with likely GOP primary voters, meaning his withdrawal could throw the race into disarray. This would likely make Ron DeSantis, who consistently polls second behind the former president, favorite to be the Republican nominee.

Speaking to Cuomo about Trump's indictment, which was released on Friday, Scaramucci said: "I know President Trump's personality reasonably well. Remember, it wasn't just 11 days for me; it was 71 campaign stops and a full year's worth of work. He does not like this. He is stressed about it. And I am going to say something contrarian on your show: I think he ends up eventually dropping out of the race.

"I think he ends up coming up with some type of Spiro Agnew-like plea where he's out, doesn't go to jail. Something happens to him but not too significant. And I don't think he makes it to the Iowa caucus. So that's a contrarian view."

Agnew was vice-president under President Richard Nixon from 1969 until 1973, when he resigned following a corruption investigation in Maryland. After that he pleaded no contest to one federal count of failing to declare $29,500 of income for tax following plea bargaining.

Scaramucci also told Cuomo that Trump retains a loyal base of support, commenting: "Well, listen, there's an ardent group of people that are going to back Trump no matter what. He could get the Georgia indictment and the J-6 [January 6] indictment as well, and they will back him no matter what.

"They see him as the last great white hope for them. But I do think there is an opening now, though, Chris, because there's more Republican criticism, and that indictment is very damning. I've read through the entire indictment."

Newsweek has contacted Trump for comment via the press inquiry form on his official website.

On June 8, Trump was indicted on 37 counts related to his alleged illegal retention of classified documents when he left the presidency, and obstructing federal efforts to recover them. He strongly denied any wrongdoing, insisting "I AM AN INNOCENT MAN" on his Truth Social website.

The former president has also been indicted on charges related to the alleged payment of hush money to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, which he denies He is facing separate investigations into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election result in Georgia, and the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riots.

Scaramucci was appointed to Trump's presidential transition team in November 2016, then in June 2017 became White House communications director for 10 days before being fired.

After losing his job, Scaramucci turned on Trump, joining the Right Side PAC ahead of the 2020 presidential election, and giving his endorsement to then candidate President Joe Biden.