The New York Times: Campaign Over, President Trump Will Hold a (What Else?) Campaign Rally
Larry M. Noble, the general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan group, said he was not aware of any president having held a campaign rally this early in his tenure.
“Usually, they are too busy trying to get their administration in place,” Mr. Noble said. “More importantly, normally the president wants to delay candidate status so that he can travel as president making speeches, announcing new policies and actions, promoting his agenda and attacking his opponents in Congress without having to use campaign funds.”
Barack Obama did not file his statement of candidacy for re-election until April 2011, more than two years after he took office, while George W. Bush waited until May of 2003 and Bill Clinton until April of 1995.
Mr. Trump may be moving now, Mr. Noble said, to ensure he can address a friendly crowd devoid of protesters.
“My guess is that he intends to control who is invited to the rally and press access by calling the rally a candidate event and paying for it out of campaign funds,” Mr. Noble said. “If it was an official White House event, he would have less control over it.”