Former President Donald Trump continues to throw barbs at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
“Remember this: If it weren’t for me, Ron DeSanctimonious would right now be working probably at a law firm, or maybe a Pizza Hut, I don’t know,” Trump told reporters.
The rhetoric may implicitly suggest that Trump sees DeSantis, a potential Republican challenger who has not announced his presidential candidacy for the 2024 race, as a credible foe.
The new insults against DeSantis indicate how Trump will run his reelection campaign.
The two conservative presidential hopefuls remain largely aligned on policy – criticizing aid to Ukraine and rejecting LGBT representation in public spaces – making the chilly rhetoric the main difference between the campaigns.
Trump criticized the governor to reporters while traveling to another campaign stop in Iowa. He continued his jibes on a flight home to West Palm Beach, Florida.
The former President pointed out that his endorsement of DeSantis was a boon for the Florida governor’s political career. He claimed responsibility for the gubernatorial win, saying DeSantis’ campaign was “dead as a dog” before his endorsement.
“When I endorsed him, the race was indeed over, but it was over for him,” Trump said.
Trump likened DeSantis to more moderate Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan – calling all three Republicans “RINO losers.”
While the insults are lobbed from the Trump campaign toward DeSantis, the DeSantis camp has remained silent about Trump’s slights.
