Former US President Trump criticized Florida Governor DeSantis for “disloyalty” when he is likely to run for office in 2024.
“When I heard that Mr. DeSantis might run for office, I thought it was very disloyal. For a lot of people, it’s not about loyalty, but for me it was,” the former US president said. Donald Trump told reporters on his private jet over the weekend.
Trump also reiterated his claim that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would never have been elected to the position without his backing. “First, he will never be nominated. Second, he will not be able to beat his opponent from the Democratic Party,” Trump said.
Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event in Columbia, South Carolina, on January 28. Photo: AFP.
The former US president has repeatedly asserted he is behind the Florida Governor’s successful political career and declined to comment on some polls showing him being led by Governor DeSantis.
“He couldn’t get ahead of me, I was the one who put him in that chair. I was the one who chose him,” Trump said.
Mr. Trump in November 2022 became the first Republican candidate to announce his re-election bid for US president in 2024 and is currently one of the party’s top choices. He kicked off his campaign with rallies in South Carolina and New Hampshire on January 28.
DeSantis was elected governor of Florida in early 2019, in a campaign that highlighted many of Mr. Trump’s views. Mr. DeSantis is currently the rising star of the Republican party after being re-elected governor of Florida by a large gap against his opponent in the 2022 midterm elections.
DeSantis has not announced he will run for president in 2024, but has recently hinted that he could join the race for the White House. It’s worth noting that during last year’s pre-election debate, Mr. DeSantis did not commit himself to fulfilling his role as Florida governor for the next four years.
Faced with the former president’s constant attacks, DeSantis responded in November 2022 that it was understandable to be criticized by others for doing a good job.
Morning Consult, a US-based global company specializing in data science, released a poll on January 18 showing Trump with 48 percent support, while DeSantis received 31 percent support. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by USA Today in collaboration with the University of Suffolk and published in December 2022 showed that Florida Governor DeSantis had a 23-point lead over Trump.
Ngoc Anh (Theo Insider)