Trump criticizes DeSantis before Christie’s potential 2024 presidential bid.

Trump Takes Aim at DeSantis in Response to Christie’s Presidential Announcement

“Ron DeSantis’ campaign is spiraling, and President Trump’s dominance over the Republican primary field has opened a mad rush to seize the mantle for runner-up. Ron DeSantis is not ready for this moment, and Chris Christie will waste no time eating DeSantis’ lunch,”

Former President Donald Trump has used former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s expected presidential announcement as an opportunity to further his attacks towards Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL). Trump’s campaign released a statement on Christie’s imminent candidacy on Tuesday, the same day that Christie is expected to launch his 2024 campaign at a town hall in New Hampshire. Only mentioning Christie once, the former president primarily took aim at DeSantis, who is Trump’s leading challenger.

DeSantis Responds to Trump’s Attacks

DeSantis has been subject to Trump’s attacks on everything from his name and his appearance to his job as the governor of Florida since the former president launched his campaign in November. DeSantis launched his campaign on May 24 after months of speculation that he would enter the Republican primary race. Already touring in key primary and battleground states, DeSantis is touting his legislative successes in Florida and drawing comparisons between himself and Trump and himself and President Joe Biden.

Andrew Romeo, a spokesman for DeSantis, pointed the Washington Examiner to comments the governor made in Iowa last week when asked for comment on Trump’s statement. DeSantis told KCCI in an interview that he is “not really paying much attention” to the growing field of Republican primary candidates.

“Regardless of who decides to run or not run, for us, it’s really just background noise,” DeSantis said. “We believe we have a message that will win. We believe we have the plan to be able to get that done, and it’s basically just about execution for us.”

Christie’s Presidential Bid

Polls show that Biden, the likely Democratic nominee, will face either DeSantis or Trump in November 2024. Christie has nabbed a few 1% standings in several polls already and appears to have a considerable donor base at his disposal, given his last run for president in 2016. Allies of Christie set up a super PAC, Tell It Like It Is, last week to boost his expected presidential bid.

Christie, who befriended Trump in the early 2000s and became an early endorser of him in 2016, has since become fiercely critical of him. He has hinted that if he jumps into the 2024 arena, he plans to go on the offensive against Trump.

“I’m concerned that the people that are in the race so far are unwilling to take him on directly,” Christie said.

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