Former President Donald Trump said he “probably” won’t announce a 2024 bid for the White House until the 2022 midterms conclude.

"I am certainly thinking about it and we’ll see, I think a lot of people will be very happy, frankly, with the decision, and probably will announce that after the midterms,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

Trump has hinted at a third Oval Office bid in the past but has yet to commit, saying “a lot of people are waiting for that decision to be made," Trump said, noting many potential candidates would not run if he chose to enter the race early.

Trump has been told by aides to hold off on a potential campaign announcement in order to prevent a large turnout by anti-Trump Democratic voters in the midterms. Republicans only need a net-gain of five House seats and one Senate seat to regain control of Congress.

The former president has been doing rallies across the country and endorsing Republican candidates such as newly elected Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who kept his distance from Trump during the campaign.

However, Trump continues to have a stranglehold on the Republican party. "I would describe what Trump is doing right now as not not running for president," said Chris Wilson, a longtime Republican strategist.

Wilson noted that Trump is making all the moves a potential presidential candidate would make by speaking to large crowds and remaining in the public eye. Trump has tremendous name recognition and fundraising ability as he has been able to raise $1 to $2 million a week.

The Trump campaign was reported to have $100 million cash on hand in late July, according to the Federal Elections Commission. To put that in perspective, the National Republican Senatorial Committee had less than $30 million in late September and the National Republican Congressional Committee had $65 million cash on hand.

"If he wants the GOP nomination, it's his for the asking,” said John J. Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College.

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