Trump criticizes Ron DeSantis, implying he will be his opponent in 2024
Donald Trump increased his criticism of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday, possibly because he sees DeSantis as a potential rival for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. Trump attacked DeSantis in a lengthy message posted on his social media website, Truth Social, calling him an “average” governor who profited from “excellent Public Relations.”
He also referred to DeSantis as “Ron DeSanctimonious,” a new derisive moniker.
In his statement, Trump touted himself as a key supporter of DeSantis during the 2018 Florida gubernatorial primary, when DeSantis competed against Adam Putnam for the GOP nomination. Trump also included characteristic complaints about his media coverage and repeated unfounded claims of election fraud.
Trump said at the time that DeSantis was “politically dead,” claiming that his backing was essential to the victory in the primary.
“Ron DeSanctimonious is currently being silly! If President Trump runs [in 2024], the media asks him if he’ll run. He responds, “I’m only focusing on the Governor’s campaign, I’m not looking into the future.” That’s actually not the best response regarding loyalty and class, “Added Trump.
According to sources with firsthand knowledge of the situation, Trump is leaning toward announcing his intention to run for president a third time, perhaps as soon as the week of November 14. Additionally, the former president has hinted at a candidacy in 2024 at rallies across the nation for a number of months.
He stated last week at a rally in Iowa, “I will very, very, very likely do it again to make our nation prosperous, secure, and wonderful, he continued, adding, “Get ready, that’s all I’m saying you. very quickly Be prepared.”
There will be a “pretty major” announcement on Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, according to a statement made by Trump earlier this week.
Further, Trump said on Thursday that he had faced opponents identical to them in the 2016 GOP primary and “simply knocked them out, one by one.” Requests for a reaction to Trump’s criticism were not met with an answer from DeSantis’s staff.
He also made it known that he supported DeSantis, who went on to defeat Democrat Charlie Crist by about 20%, a significant margin in a state known for its tight elections. Contrarily, a number of other Republican candidates in this midterm election cycle fared poorly, amid forecasts of a potential “red wave” against the incumbent Democrats.
Numerous Trump-backed candidates lost, including Tudor Dixon for governor of Michigan and Dr. Mehmet Oz for senator of Pennsylvania.
Prior to Trump’s remarks on Thursday, two senior DeSantis campaign officials told Media that the team made a deliberate choice in the closing days not to respond to Trump’s insults. On election night, Trump said on Media that he would “tell you stuff about [DeSantis] that won’t be very favorable” since “I know more about him than anybody other than, possibly, his wife.”
According to DeSantis’ advisers, he and his group were aware of their success relative to other party members who were close to Trump.
Upon being questioned about what DeSantis was thinking following his victory this week, a top advisor informed the Media that he was instead concentrating on Tropical Storm Nicole.
DeSantis, like Trump, worked as a campaigner for a number of Republican candidates during the midterm elections, including Mark Ronchetti in New Mexico and J.D. Vance in Ohio (who won) (who lost). Trump referred to DeSantis’ support of Joe O’Dea, a Republican senatorial candidate from Colorado who had parted with him, as a “huge mistake.”
Even as Crist used that as a campaign attack, DeSantis has frequently brushed down rumors that he may run for president in 2024.
“He is not in a rush. He doesn’t need to be in a rush. He is attempting to reach a wider audience by maintaining his stature, name ID, and conservative credentials “DeSantis’ 2018 governor’s race communications director, Stephan Lawson, previously told media. As a result of his track record in Florida, I believe he is saying, “I’m going to court and talk to this base of our party in a way that may have broader appeal.”
Put another way, “I’m going to get all the benefits of going up against Trump directly without the drawbacks,” Lawson remarked at the time.
