Trump cronies fled ahead of his 2024 announcement, as did the crowd at Mar-a-Lago

Donald Trump’s 66-minute speech announcing his third consecutive run for president was thoroughly panned Tuesday night by experts and critics but one reporter’s video appears to redefine the term “captive audience.”

“A crowd has formed by the exit of the ballroom as some try to leave Trump’s announcement speech before he has finished,” tweeted ABC News’ Olivia Rubin. “But security won’t let them.”

Watch below:

Trump cronies fled ahead of his 2024 announcement, as did the crowd at Mar-a-Lago | RawStory.TVTrump cronies fled ahead of his 2024 announcement, as did the crowd at Mar-a-Lago | RawStory.TV

The video was posted minutes after Trump’s speech ended, but it clearly was taken during his speech as the audio makes clear he was still addressing the crowd at Mar-a-Lago. MSNBC’s Katie S. Phang, an attorney, anchor, and legal contributor responded: “‘Captive’ audience there.”

“The speech attendees shown on the video weren’t the only ones who appeared to grow weary at Mr. Trump’s low-energy remarks,” The Independent notes. “Several networks – including his once-beloved Fox News – cut away from the speech before it was over, while many of his once-loyal supporters – including family members – chose not to attend at all.”

A majority of voters say former President Trump should definitely not run for president again, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

A Politico-Morning Consult poll showed that 53 percent of registered voters believe he definitely should not run, while 12 percent said he probably shouldn’t. Less than 20 percent of respondents said he should definitely run, while only 12 percent said he probably should.

The former president has received criticism from members of his own party for the GOP’s performance in some of the most high profile midterm races. He has backed candidates who were more loyal to him but seen as weaker competitors in a general election than some of their primary opponents.

Billionaire and GOP megadonor Ronald Lauder won’t help finance Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign for president, his spokesman told CNBC on Wednesday.

Lauder, an heir to the Estée Lauder fortune, is the latest Republican megadonor to distance himself from Trump as the former president launches a third bid for the White House. Lauder contributed almost $100,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2019 when the political organization was helping Trump get reelected, according the nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets.

Though his spokesman did not say who Lauder would support in 2024, Florida campaign finance records show that the billionaire businessman donated $10,000 last year to a political action committee supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful reelection campaign.

DeSantis has not ruled out running against Trump in a Republican primary for president.