Trump critics underestimate him ‘at their own peril’, Jen Psaki warns
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Trump critics underestimate him ‘at your peril’, Jen Psaki warns: Former Biden official says ex-president has ‘evil charisma’ that could help him win 2024 GOP nomination
- Biden’s first White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, joined a Meet The Press panel on Sunday to discuss whether Donald Trump is still viable by 2024.
- He warned “sane Democrats and Republicans” not to dismiss it as a threat.
- Psaki said Republicans still don’t have a “better alternative” to Trump
- She suggested that it was too early to tell if Ron DeSantis is on the rise or has already peaked.
- DeSantis leads Trump in a recent head-to-head poll released last week
Former Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki shared a warning Sunday not to “underestimate” Donald Trump and his 2024 presidential campaign.
Addressing Democrats and right-wing moderates, the former White House official said Trump had an “evil charisma” that could help him navigate the Republican nomination for a third time, and possibly win the presidency for a second time.
The former president’s Nov. 15 announcement at his Mar-a-Lago home received a lukewarm reception in the media and even within his own party, fueling speculation that his grip on the Republican Party may be more vulnerable than he realized. it was thought.
But speaking on a Meet The Press panel on Sunday, Psaki suggested that those who dismiss Trump now do so to their own detriment.
āI think sane Democrats and Republicans underestimate Trump at their peril,ā Psaki said.
‘Because, for Trump to not win the nomination, there has to be a better alternative, that’s how primaries work, right?’
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has warned “sane Democrats and Republicans” not to “underestimate” Donald Trump, noting that the GOP must agree to a “better alternative” before it can be defeated.
Reviewing a short list of possible White House contenders, Psaki first singled out Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis, who recently won a resounding double-digit re-election victory after a close first race in 2018, has seen his star rise within the Republican Party for his opposition to the Biden administration on COVID-19 and the border, as well as culture war battles. he fought against the LGBTQ community.
He further ingratiated himself with the broader Republican sphere with his highly praised handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole.
The Florida governor has also clashed with Trump for refusing to rule out a future challenge against him in 2024, though DeSantis has yet to formally declare any interest in running for president.
Psaki also brought up former Trump vice president Mike Pence, who strongly suggested he might run, but hasn’t seen any early surge in voter enthusiasm so far.
“Ron DeSantis: This man is either the savior or he is currently at his peak,” he explained.
He also said that Trump possesses a “dark charisma” that he believes could help him win again.
“Mike Pence, with all due respect, did not set the world on fire politically before Donald Trump selected him to be his running mate.”
She questioned whether a clear ‘alternative’ would emerge.
‘Trump has a wicked charisma that helps him win the nomination, the nomination process is long. What is going to happen here? Psaki argued.
“My opinion is that people should not underestimate him.”
A new Marquette University Law School poll released last week showed DeSantis leading Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head challenge.
Among Republican voters and Republican-leaning independents, DeSantis drew 60 percent support compared to 40 percent for Trump.
The two are nearly even in favorability, a huge rise for the governor, who won his 2018 race for the Tallahassee governor’s mansion with Trump’s emphatic endorsement.
But now, DeSantis is viewed favorably by 68 percent of Republicans compared to 67 percent who said the same about Trump.