Trump returns for winter season with his leads in presidential polls, and four indictments

PALM BEACH — Former President Donald Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago Sunday for what will be a consequential winter social season here in Palm Beach — and beyond.

Trump has spent winters here for decades, usually arriving in early fall and then departing in May. By the time he departs next spring, however, the world may know whether he is the 2024 Republican presumptive nominee for president and a convicted felon.

That is, if he leaves his Palm Beach club, which traditionally closes for the summer after Mother's Day. A federal judge in Fort Pierce has scheduled Trump's trial on charges related to his possession and alleged mishandling of U.S. classified documents for May 20 of next year.

Whether that date holds remains to be seen. Ditto for the March 4 trial date in Washington, D.C. on four felony counts related to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. And the March 25 date set for the trial on New York state charges related to a purported hush money payment to a porn star in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump's local fans say they are looking forward to having him in town, and attending events at Mar-a-Lago. A schedule of political festivities and fundraisers has not been released but an invite was circulated last week for an event "honoring" the Republican Party of Florida on Nov. 9.

“I don't think people are really caring much about none of this legal problems he has,” said Lydia Maldonado, a Hispanic Republican activist in Palm Beach County, about local events for Trump. “They’re all going to be there, they’re going to support them, so we might have more events now than we did before.”

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Most GOP primaries will take place during Palm Beach winter season

What is certain is Trump's comeback presidential campaign will either be a success or have stunningly fizzled by the time the 2023-2024 winter season on Palm Beach ends. The primary calendar starts for Trump and his GOP presidential rivals with the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus, followed, for the moment, by the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 6 and then Super Tuesday on March 5.

By the time Trump would depart Palm Beach for his summer oasis in Bedminster, New Jersey, next year, more than 40 states and territories will have held their presidential primaries and caucuses.

Unlike last year, Trump has not commented on his Truth Social platform about his return to Florida.

But he did issue posts noting his widening lead in polls. In fact, an average of 10 polls issued this month, including by Quinnipiac University, YouGov, Morning Consult and Fox News, shows Trump up 58% with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trailing far behind at 12.6%.

Like Trump, his local supporters, including the nearly 20 or so who were on Southern Boulevard to greet the former presidents's return despite the bad weather on Sunday, tout the many voter surveys showing Trump leading the pack.

Willy Guardiola, who routinely organizes street side demonstrations of support for Trump, declared that he has “already won the primaries.”

“... so he is literally gearing for the general," Guardiola said. "Anything he’s doing right now is for the general election.”

Trump got another sort of welcome home gift upon his return to the Sunshine State, his official residence since 2019.

The Florida Republican Party rescinded a requirement that GOP presidential candidates promise to support the party's nominee in order to be on the March 19 Florida primary ballot. The decision catered to Trump's rejection of the "loyalty pledge" and was seen as a slap at DeSantis in a state where he won re-election by double-digits.

“The president is battling a lot of different fights on a lot of fronts, certainly it shouldn’t be with the party," said state Sen. Joe Gruters, a former party chair and stalwart advocate for Trump's candidacy.

Reporting by Zac Anderson of the USA Today Florida network was used in this story.

Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Former President Donald Trump back at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach