“In [recent] conversations that I’ve had with him, he has said that he wants to be everywhere to remind people, not just Republicans, that he’s still in charge,” a person close to the former president said, paraphrasing Trump. “The message is a pretty straightforward one: I am still leading this party, and if you want to try to challenge me for that, it will get ugly.”... According to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, Trump has repeatedly inquired this month about his standing in the polls of potential 2024 Republican contenders, asking advisers about how his numbers stack up against the likes of Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s former VP Mike Pence, ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump’s onetime ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, and others. Close advisers have routinely assured Trump that he is a shoo-in for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, should he ultimately run, and that any of the other heavy-hitters in the party would be crushed if they took him on, according to three people with knowledge of such recent conversations. Still, Trump is keeping a watchful eye, in the event any of his current allies end up growing dissatisfied with being relegated to the ex-president’s 2024 running-mate considerations.