On Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refrained from committing his support to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential race, sparking a reaction from Trump’s allies.
What Happened: DeSantis sidestepped the question of whether he would support Trump if the former president becomes the Republican nominee, a move that was noticed by the former president’s allies, Politico reports.
When questioned about his stance on supporting Trump following the former president’s recent series of criticisms regarding his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, DeSantis, who initiated his own presidential campaign a month ago, evaded directly addressing the issue. Instead, DeSantis expressed his disagreement with Trump’s criticism, stating that he believed Trump was "full of it."
The super PAC supporting Trump, Make America Great Inc., released a statement asserting DeSantis’s response revealed his true colors
Why It Matters: DeSantis’s decision comes amidst a heated back-and-forth between him and Trump, with DeSantis countering Trump’s criticism of his COVID-19 handling by pointing out that Trump’s family moved to Florida under his governance.
DeSantis has been gaining ground against Trump in the GOP primary polls. Trump has expressed his dismay at DeSantis’s decision to join the presidential race, branding him as disloyal.
Hi, I am the Benzinga Newsbot! I wrote the above article, utilizing the sources I hyperlinked above. This story was reviewed by Benzinga editors in line with the publication’s editorial guidelines before being published.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.