Former US President Donald Trump has launched his third bid for the White House, declaring: “America’s comeback is just beginning.”
In his Florida state, he said: “We have to save our country.”
Mr Trump’s announcement comes as some fellow Republicans blame him for the party’s poor performance in last week’s midterm elections.
President Joe Biden, who defeated Mr Trump two years ago, has said he may run for re-election in 2024.
Addressing an invited crowd from the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago private club in Palm Beach on Tuesday night, Mr Trump, 76, said: “We are a nation in decline.
“For millions of Americans, the past two years under Joe Biden have been a time of pain, hardship, anxiety and despair.”
He continued: “I am announcing my candidacy tonight for President of the United States to make America great and great again.”
Shortly before the speech, he filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission formally announcing his presidential candidacy and set up a fundraising account.
Meanwhile, outside Mar-a-Lago, supporters gathered to wave Trump 2024 flags.
Mr. Trump’s speech lasted more than an hour and touched on many of the same themes he has repeated on stage for months.
They included attacks on border security, energy independence and crime, as well as Mr. Biden’s record in office.
At the end of the speech, his wife Melania Trump joined him on stage. But fewer family members were present than at their past events, and Ivanka Trump and Donald Jr. did not attend.
At the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, some 11,000 miles (17,700 km) away, Mr Biden was asked if he had a reaction to Mr Trump’s announcement.
“No, not really,” said the Democratic president. Last week he was filmed laughing when a reporter suggested Mr Trump’s support base was strong.
Mr Trump’s unusually early declaration for the election of 5 November 2024 is being seen as a tactic to steal a march on potential rivals for the Republicans’ White House nomination.
Though Mr Trump is the first to enter the race and instantly becomes the front-runner, he is expected to face challengers.
They may include his own former Vice-President Mike Pence, 63, and rising star Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, 44.
In Tuesday’s remarks, Mr Trump largely steered clear of rehashing his baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him by mass voter fraud.
He left office after one term in 2021, refusing to acknowledge his defeat by seven million votes.
His debunked conspiracy theories riled up supporters who rioted at Capitol Hill in the final days of his presidency as lawmakers met to certify President Biden’s victory.
Mr Trump became the first president to be impeached twice, although congressional Democrats thwarted an attempt by Senate Republicans to remove him from office.
He went ahead with his announcement Tuesday despite pleas from advisers to hold off until after next month’s runoff election for a Senate seat in Georgia, amid fears his candidacy could prove too much of a distraction. .
Some conservatives have blamed Mr. Trump for the Republicans’ failure to achieve a landslide victory in last week’s midterm elections.
Although the party is on the verge of dominating the US House of Representatives, it will be by a razor-thin margin.
Meanwhile, Democrats retain control of the Senate and could hold onto their majority after Georgia’s December election.
Last week’s results were decidedly mixed for congressional hopefuls backed by Mr. Trump.
Candidates he supported in key states like Pennsylvania, Arizona and Michigan were defeated after their election machinations echoed, while others won in Ohio, Wisconsin and North Carolina.
Mr Trump’s White House bid comes as he is under investigation on several fronts, including the Justice Department’s removal of classified files from the White House to Mar-a-Lago at the end of his presidency. Investigations are also included.
He is praised by conservatives for appointing three Supreme Court justices, enacting massive tax cuts, presiding over a Middle East peace deal and killing the Islamic State leader.
But during his four tumultuous years, America became increasingly divided as he tried to rule by tweet, denounce far-right violence, have a tumultuous response to the coronavirus pandemic, and convince American allies to call their “U.S. First” was alleged to deviate from the policy.
