In yet another example of Donald Trump‘s penchant for turning on his closest allies, tensions are mounting between the former president and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. While DeSantis’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, or lack thereof, was practically Trumpian as the two repeatedly teamed up to push for the country to “reopen,” DeSantis has started to emerge as a top contender in the 2024 Republican primary, and Trump does not like it.
According to reports, Trump often tells people, “I made Ron,” so the former president isn’t exactly loving that his creation is shaping up to be the GOP frontrunner. Via Vanity Fair:
In recent days I spoke with a half dozen GOP insiders about the recent flare-ups between DeSantis’s and Trump’s camps. The sources agreed that DeSantis and Trump are on an inevitable collision course as the 2024 GOP field takes shape. “There’s going to be a blowup,” a prominent Republican said. “Trump fucking hates DeSantis. He just resents his popularity,” a Trump confidant told me. Asked for comment, Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington said: “Governor DeSantis has shown great respect.”
Tensions between Trump and DeSantis reached a breaking point over the weekend when the Florida Governor asked Trump not to hold a rally in Sarasota while the state was still mourning the collapsed building in Miami. When Trump ignored the request and went ahead with the rally, DeSantis made it a point to publicly thank President Joe Biden for his help in providing federal funds for the search-and-rescue mission. According to GOP sources for the Washington Examiner, “It’s a showdown going on right now.”
(Via Vanity Fair)