Former President Donald Trump is raising the temperature ahead of what is expected to be his announcement for a 2024 Presidential run scheduled for Tuesday.
In a lengthy statement, the former President turned his ire on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is rumored to be considering his own bid for the presidency.
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Not only did Trump take credit for DeSantis’ rise, but he also claimed to have stopped the Governor’s first election bid from being ‘stolen’.
Supporters of Gov. Ron DeSantis chanted, “two more years” during the Governor’s victory party on election night.
It was a not-so-subtle nod to DeSantis’ potential run for the presidency.
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Just two days later, former President Donald Trump released a statement lambasting DeSantis.
In it, Trump called DeSantis an “average Republican Governor” and claimed his endorsement pushed DeSantis over the hump in the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary.
UNF Political Science professor Michael Binder argues Trump’s critique has merit.
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“Because in the primary Adam Putnam was doing well. He was ahead, he had better name recognition and then all of the sudden the Trump endorsement really sent DeSantis flying,” said Binder.
But Trump made another claim Binder said lacks evidence.
Trump said DeSantis was “going down ten thousand votes a day” due to votes being “stolen” in Broward County during the 2018 General Election.
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Trump also claimed to have stopped DeSantis’ election from being “stolen” by sending the FBI and U.S. Attorneys.
It spurred Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried to write a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland Monday asking him to address Trump’s claim.
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”We need just the FBI, DOJ just to say that’s nonsense, the President is obviously lying again,” said Fried.
Binder chalks Trump’s claims up to political posturing.
”I am responsible for you being Governor Ron DeSanctimonious and because of that you need to remember who I am,” said Binder.
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DeSantis has been silent on Trump’s statement and other jabs made in recent weeks.
Neither his office nor his campaign responded to our request for comment.
Binder said he expects DeSantis likely won’t engage Trump until next summer, after the legislative session, if he decides to run at all.
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