Donald Trump will not run for President in 2020, former aide claims

Anthony Scaramucci believes Michael Bloomberg will 'destroy' Trump at the polls - but warns against Warren or Sanders as democratic nominees

Anthony Scaramucci: Trump won't seek re-election

Anthony Scaramucci: Trump won't seek re-election
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Main interview: Trump's ex-press aide on his infamous 11-day stint in the White House

Donald Trump will not stand for re-election in next year’s US election, a former aide to the president has predicted.

Anthony Scaramucci, who was famously fired as Mr Trump’s director of communications after 11 days in July 2017, said various legal proceedings involving the president, as well as damage caused by impeachment, would lead to “overwhelming pressure” on him not to run again.

“I think he will be so heavily damaged going into November [2020] that his best path, for his reputation, is to say that he will not run for re-election,” said Mr Scaramucci, who is hosting a conference in Abu Dhabi and has become an outspoken critic of the president.

He will be so heavily damaged going into November [2020] that his best path, for his reputation, is to say that he will not run for re-election

He said “encroachment by authorities”, such as the attorney general’s office in New York, which is investigating Trump’s finances and business dealings, could mean “an overwhelming amount of pressure on him to seek a solution for himself and his family that doesn’t include him running again.”

The US Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service could also cause problems for Mr Trump, the 55-year-old said, while more details could yet emerge about his dealings with Ukraine.

The impeachment centres around Mr Trump allegedly abusing his position by encouraging Ukraine to launch investigations that would prove damaging to his rival Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

While at present it appears Mr Trump is likely to survive an impeachment vote in the Senate, meaning he would not be forced from office, the process could also lead to a “waterfall” of damaging new information being released, Mr Scaramucci said.

If Mr Trump is the Republican candidate next year, Mr Scaramucci predicted that the current president would struggle to defeat a moderate Democrat.

He said he believed Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York mayor and businessman, would “destroy” the President in an election and is the best option for Democrats.

However, Mr Bloomberg’s chances of securing the nomination currently appear slim, with left wing candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders seen as more likely contenders, alongside Mr Biden, the centrist former vice president.

“I think the [Ukraine] evidence is pretty glaring, and I think the combination of that evidence and the disdain that people have for things like his use of Twitter, and his rhetoric in general, is a big turn-off," Mr Scaramucci said.

“Let’s say I’m wrong and [Trump] is a nominee, and they [Democrats] pick a Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, I think he’ll beat them by 40 states.

“Even if he doesn’t bow out, which I predict he will, and they put up a normal, moderate, centrist Democrat, it will be very tough for him.

“I don’t think the Democrats are that stupid to nominate an Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, but I mean, look at what the Republicans did and look what I did — I worked for President Trump. People make mistakes."

Mr Trump has always maintained that he will seek reelection in 2020.