Donald Trump sets up office to push his former administration's agenda

Donald Trump has made no public appearances since his last day as president - Reuters
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Donald Trump said he will "forever be a champion for the American people" as announced he had opened an office in Florida to manage his post-presidency life.

The office in Palm Beach, Florida will seek to further the Trump administration's agenda as well as coordinating the 45th president's public appearances and activism work.

Without access to his Twitter and Facebook accounts, which the social media companies disabled following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, Mr Trump has been forced to rely on more traditional vehicles to reach the public and the press in his final days in office.

"President Trump will always and forever be a champion for the American People," the new office said in a statement announcing its creation.

The announcement of the new headquarters, which is named the "Office of the Former President", came on the same day proceedings for Mr Trump's second impeachment trial were triggered in the Senate. The Senate trial is expected to begin in earnest on February 9.

Mr Trump has made no public appearances since relocating to Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, but is rumoured to be considering forming a political party called the “Patriot Party”.

As he departed the White House last Wednesday, Mr Trump told supporters: “We will be back in some form.”

The Republican president has several opportunities to remain a force within US politics, and more particularly within his own party.

A critical Senate seat race has opened up in Ohio after Rob Portman, a moderate Republican, announced he would not run for re-election in 2022.

Two pro-Trump congressmen are viewed as potential candidates for the seat, offering the former president a chance to affect the outcome of the race if he chooses to endorse and campaign for one of the contenders.

Meanwhile Mr Trump's loyal lieutenant and former press secretary, Sarah Sanders, has thrown her hat into the ring for the Arkansas governor's race.

The two races offer Mr Trump the chance to demonstrate the enduring support for him among Republican voters by throwing his support behind politicians who have aligned themselves with him.

The former president's popularity with the grassroots is clear: he has remained the Republican Party's strongest fundraiser and raised tens of millions of dollars after the November election as he vowed to contest the outcome.

Mr Trump has also hinted he may seek to punish moderate Republicans in upcoming elections who he feels failed to back his unfounded claims of election fraud.