Trump again hints at 2024 presidential run

Addressing an adoring crowd at the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida, Former US President Donald Trump used his speech to bash Democratic President Joe Biden and again hint at a possible run for president in 2024.

Earlier this week, Trump irked some Republican party members by describing Putin's actions in Ukraine, where cities have been pounded by Russian artillery and cruise missiles, as "genius" and "pretty savvy."

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all," Trump said.

Trump said that Putin took advantage of Democratic President Joe Biden's being "weak" to attack Ukraine.

Trump linked the Ukraine crisis to the US 2020 presidential election, again falsely saying that fraud was to blame for Biden's victory.

"As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president," he said, to which a woman in the packed audience responded: "You are the president!"

Trump has not confirmed whether he will run for president again in 2024, but has hinted at it heavily recently and did so again on Saturday.

"On November 2024, they (Democrats) will find out like never before. We did it twice, and we'll do it again. We're going to be doing it again, a third time," Trump said.

Democratic lawyer Marc Elias tweeted that Trump's words should trigger a "series of legal requirements related to his spend and disclosures."

"I'm sick of being told that we have to care more about people 6,000 miles away than we do people like my mom, and my grandparents, and all the kids who are affected by this crisis," said Vance, a venture capitalist and author.