Trump hints at 2024 bid, says US 'going to hell very fast'

HOUSTON, Texas

Donald Trump championed the job he did as head of state and criticized current President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers during a speech Tuesday at the America First Agenda Summit in Washington, D.C.

"Our country is now a cesspool of crime," he said, blaming Democrats for leaving the nation in a terrible state, especially when it comes to public safety.

"We have blood, death and suffering on a scale once unthinkable because of the Democrat Party's effort to destroy and dismantle law enforcement."

Citing that the murder rate in the US is up 51% and saying that America has "been brought to its knees" by crime, Trump focused his attention on giving police the power to make America safer.

"We have to leave our police alone," he said, emphasizing his desire to reinstate "stop and frisk" policies. "Let the people that have to have guns, that need to have guns, let them have them...take the guns away from the criminals who shouldn't be having guns."

"There should be a squad car on every corner, if that's what it takes to stop the killing," Trump emphasized while calling for more law enforcement hiring. "Our country is going to hell and is going to hell very fast. It's a very unsafe place."

The former president reinforced the importance of the midterm elections in November, saying Republicans can once again take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate with an agenda focused on battling crime, reinforcing border patrol and immigration policies, tackling record-high inflation and lowering gas prices.

While not officially throwing his hat in the ring for another presidential run, Trump said he is confident that a Republican will be back in the White House in 2024, dropping a few possible hints.

"I ran the first time and I won. Then I ran a second time and I did much better. We got millions and millions more votes," he told the crowd. "We may just have to do it again."

Trump criticized the Jan. 6 committee investigating his role in the Capitol riots, calling it the "unselect committee" with evil people only trying to do him harm.

"They want to damage you in any form," he said. "But they really want to damage me so I can no longer go back to work for you. And I don't think that's going to happen."

Trump concluded his speech, dropping more potential hints in his rhetoric.

"America's story is far from over," he continued. "We are just getting ready for an incredible comeback."

"We will make America stronger, safer, freer, greater and more glorious than ever before."