Outgoing President Donald Trump is reportedly considering forming a new political party once he is out of office, according to people familiar with the matter.
Trump had discussed the idea with several aides and other close confidants in the past week, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing sources that the paper did not name.
The new party would be called the “Patriot Party” and would join other third parties, like the Libertarian Party and Green Party, according to the outlet.
Third parties have not traditionally drawn enough support to play a major role in national elections.
The last third-party candidate to win a statewide federal election was George Wallace in 1968, Business Insider reported.
The far-right segregationist Alabama governor won five states while running as the American Independent Party’s nominee.
It is unclear at this time how serious Trump is about starting this new party.
To be active in national elections, a new party must register with the Federal Election Committee after it has reached certain fundraising or spending thresholds, according to the FEC’s website.
Trump has garnered a large group of supporters since he emerged in 2016 as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, many of whom were not deeply involved in Republican politics before.
According to an aggregate of various polls from FiveThirtyEight, 39.3 percent of likely or registered voters approved of Trump as of Wednesday and 56.8 percent disapproved of him.
The Trump White House declined to comment on the matter to The Wall Street Journal.
Republican Party officials would most likely oppose any efforts Trump makes to form a new political party.
Trump has also sparred with elected Republican leaders following the Jan. 6 incursion of the U.S. Capitol.
Ten Republican House members sided with Democrats and passed an article of impeachment last week against Trump for “incitement of insurrection.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week that the rioters were “provoked by the president.”
“The mob was fed lies,” the Kentucky Republican said.
“They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government, which they did not like.”
Story cited here.
