Donald Trump blasts Ron DeSantis: ‘He’s got no personality’

Former President Donald Trump blasted his top likely 2024 rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), by saying he has “no personality.”

Trump, who would not commit to backing DeSantis if he clinches the GOP nod, gloated over his recent gains over the Florida governor in polls amid apparent backlash over his indictment. He also rebutted the governor’s indirect digs about the party’s recent spate of electoral losses under his term.

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“Ron’s not a winner because Ron, without me, wouldn’t have won. If I would have left it alone, he would have lost by 30 points or more,” Trump told the Messenger. “He’s got no personality. And I don’t think he’s got a lot of political skill.”

In the 2018 gubernatorial election cycle, Trump threw his weight behind DeSantis, who won a close race. Since then, DeSantis’s popularity exploded, and Trump soured on him publicly as the governor’s name began being floated as a possible 2024 contender.

DeSantis has consistently polled as Trump’s chief GOP primary rival, though he has yet to declare his candidacy. Trump has over a 30-point lead over him in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate. Still, if DeSantis were to become the GOP standard-bearer, Trump is noncommittal about endorsing him.

“It’s too early to say. So far, I’m not a fan of the way that he’s running. First of all, he shouldn’t be running right now because he hasn’t filed,” Trump said. “The guy’s doing ads. He’s acting as a candidate, but he doesn’t have to play by the rules because he hasn’t filed, which is a total violation.”

Since March, DeSantis has swung through a bevy of states, such as Texas, California, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Iowa, per his political team. He has helped local Republicans fundraise over $4.3 million during that time and crowed about his record in Florida.

DeSantis is expected to make his 2024 intentions known within the coming weeks.

During a recent trip to Iowa, DeSantis appeared to take a dig at Trump, alluding to the trove of electoral losses the GOP has weathered in 2018, 2020, and 2022. DeSantis has largely steered clear of pointed swipes at Trump, instead opting for digs that do not mention the former president by name. Trump has also lambasted DeSantis for not exhibiting loyalty to him.

“We must reject the culture of losing that has infected our party in recent years,” DeSantis proclaimed at the Feenstra Family Picnic in Sioux Center, Iowa, over the weekend. “The time for excuses is over.”

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One matter that has dogged Republicans ahead of the presidential contest is abortion. DeSantis made waves last month by signing a bill banning abortion with multiple exceptions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can occur as soon as six weeks. The law is not in effect yet amid pending litigation over Florida’s 15-week ban.

Trump has given mixed signals about whether he would back a federal abortion ban but appeared to knock DeSantis for signing the bill.

“If you look at what DeSantis did, a lot of people don’t even know if he knew what he was doing. But he signed six weeks, and many people within the pro-life movement feel that that was too harsh,” Trump said.