Former President Donald Trump has intensified his attacks on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the 2024 presidential campaign heats up.[0] On Monday, Trump traveled to Iowa, where he compared DeSantis to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. Mitt Romney, both of whom he has labeled “RINO losers.”[1]
Trump said he might regret endorsing DeSantis in the 2018 Republican primary for governor in Florida.[2] The former president said he “maybe” regrets his endorsement of DeSantis, whom he claims was “dead as a dog” in his primary battle against then-Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.[1]
“He was dead as a dog, he was a dead politician. He would have been working perhaps for a law firm or doing something else,” Trump said.[2]
Trump said he ultimately decided to support DeSantis because he defended him while he was facing a Democratic-led impeachment into allegations that he pressured Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy into investigating Joe Biden’s family.[3]
DeSantis and Trump had their last conversation several months ago.[3] His remarks signal that he is intensely focused on DeSantis, whom he conceded was “probably” his most serious challenger.[2] The ex-president’s camp has been carrying out polling research in the background, attempting to identify the governor’s vulnerabilities.[3] Trump declined to label DeSantis as “Meatball Ron.”, however.[3] Reports had stated that Trump was brainstorming a nickname.[3] He rejected the suggestion, deeming the name “too crude.”.[2]
It is widely anticipated that DeSantis will declare his candidacy for president once the Florida legislative session comes to a close in May, although he has yet to make any official announcements.[4] This timeline would enable him to pass more legislation and to have a greater opportunity to campaign on.[5]
People are fleeing from New York to Florida and other places because of high taxes and out of control crime, Trump said.[6] “Not because of the governor. Thank you, Mr President, for doing this. But it’s not because of the governor of Florida was doing fantastically.”[7]
The political team of DeSantis did not make any comments concerning Trump’s most recent statements.[8] The governor has largely avoided engaging with the former president, saying recently that he prefers not to spend his time “trying to smear other Republicans.[9]
0. “Trump takes swipes at Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence” CBS News, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-ramps-up-attacks-on-ron-desantis-mike-pence-iowa
1. “Trump claims DeSantis would be working at a ‘law firm’ or ‘Pizza Hut’ without his endorsement” Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/trump-claims-without-him-desantis-would-be-working-at-a-law-firm-or-pizza-hut
2. “Trump Bashes Likely GOP Challenger DeSantis as ‘Dead as a Dog,’ Offending Dead Dogs Nationwide” We Got This Covered, 14 Mar. 2023, https://wegotthiscovered.com/celebrities/trump-bashes-likely-gop-challenger-desantis-as-dead-as-a-dog-offending-dead-dogs-nationwide/
3. “Trump lashes out at DeSantis, says he regrets his endorsement of him” POLITICO, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/13/trump-lashes-out-desantis-regrets-endorsement-00086861
4. “Fox News Star Tomi Lahren Trashes Donald Trump For Attacks Against Ron DeSantis: ‘It’s Like Going After An …” Radar Online, 15 Mar. 2023, https://radaronline.com/p/fox-news-tomi-lahren-trashes-donald-trump-attacks-ron-desantis-imaginary-friend
5. “Trump concedes DeSantis is his biggest rival and says he regrets endorsing him for governor: ‘I don’t think it” Business Insider India, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/trump-concedes-desantis-is-his-biggest-rival-and-says-he-regrets-endorsing-him-for-governor-i-dont-think-its-nice/articleshow/98618621.cms
6. “Trump: Former governors Crist and Scott did a ‘good job’ before DeSantis” Florida’s Voice, 13 Mar. 2023, https://flvoicenews.com/trump-former-governors-crist-and-scott-did-a-good-job-before-desantis
7. “Donald Trump again argues Florida was ‘doing fantastically’ when Rick Scott was Governor” Florida Politics, 13 Mar. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/594945-donald-trump-again-argues-florida-was-doing-fantastically-when-rick-scott-was-governor/
8. “On the trail, freewheeling Donald Trump counters scripted Ron DeSantis” The Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/14/trump-desantis-2024/
9. “Trump says he ‘probably’ regrets endorsing DeSantis” The Hill, 13 Mar. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3898604-trump-says-he-probably-regrets-endorsing-desantis/
