Trump Confronts 2024 Obstacles as He Returns to Campaign Trail

Candidate visits early states two months after campaign launch
Events marked by small crowds, shadow cast by potential rivals

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, on Jan. 28.Photographer: Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg

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By Christian Hall and Mark Niquette

January 29, 2023 at 8:25 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Donald Trump ran headlong into some of the biggest challenges he’ll face in his comeback bid — fading enthusiasm among Republicans looking to move on from the former president and rising rivals for the GOP nomination — as he hit the 2024 campaign trail for the first time.

Trump on Saturday visited two crucial early-voting states, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and tried to tamp down criticism that his campaign has been lackluster since announcing his third White House bid last November.