U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) on Wednesday dodged questions about whether he wanted former President Trump to run in 2024, instead saying he wants the “same policy positions” as the Republican leader.
When CNN’s Dana Bash asked Scott directly whether he wanted Trump to seek another presidential term, Scott trailed off into a discussion about the economy and successes under the former president’s administration.
“Do you want the former president to run again?” Bash asked, interrupting the senator.
“I want the same policy positions we had before,” Scott answered.
“Can somebody else do that and not somebody who makes things, in your words, difficult?” Bash replied.
“I hope that we will find a way back to where we are talking about principles,” Scott said.
Last year, Scott expressed his support for a second Trump run for office.
The senator has also mulled a presidential run himself, and last month had to refute an error in his new memoir that said he was announcing a run for president this year.
Trump has not officially announced a 2024 run, although there have been rumors that he has made up his mind about another presidential bid.
After the FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday, some believe Trump’s prospects for a second run are improving, as Republicans flock to defend the former president from what they claim is a politically motivated investigation.
But Trump still faces a series of scandals that have dogged him since leaving the White House, including his alleged role in inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a probe in New York into his business and tax dealings, and his seizure of classified documents, which was the subject of the FBI raid.