DeSantis responds to trailing Trump: ‘I’m not a candidate, we’ll see if and when that changes’

Ron DeSantis dismissed falling polls while touring Japan, claiming it doesn’t matter if he ducks behind Donald Trump because he’s not officially in the running.

Florida’s governor suggested his Republican primary candidacy status and the polls could soon turn, but still took no steps to make an announcement.

“I’m not running so we’ll see if and when that changes,” DeSantis told reporters in Tokyo, Japan as he stood next to his wife and Florida’s first lady Casey DeSantis.

The comments come after the release of NBC News’ first national poll for 2024 on Sunday, which showed former President Trump ahead of DeSantis by 15 percent.

DeSantis’ trips abroad this week fuel rumors that he plans to run for president in 2024. Pictured: DeSantis meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo on Monday, April 24

Despite the governor’s constant dismissal of questions about a potential candidacy, DeSantis continues to traverse the country under the guise of a book tour — and has now made international trips.

After Japan, the first couple from Florida and their children will go to South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom. The trips abroad only feed the buzz that he will soon announce a bid for the White House.

During the visit to Japan, Casey wore a white trouser suit with a floral pattern on the jacket, while the governor wore the classic navy blue suit with a red tie.

In recent months, DeSantis moved closer to Trump in the polls, even beating him in a few local, regional and national surveys. But Trump’s recent indictment in the Stormy Daniels hush money case has strengthened his stance with Republicans.

Seventy percent of GOP respondents told NBC’s poll that they feel it’s more important now to rally behind Trump’s 2024 bid after the indictment.

The poll shows Trump has 46 percent support from Republican primary voters compared to DeSantis’ 31 percent. The Florida governor has not yet announced a White House bid, but is largely seen as the only potential candidate who could give Trump a good fight.

DeSantis has consistently come in second to Trump.

The double-digit lead in the primary was coupled with poll results showing that only 6 percent of Americans want to see a 2020 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden.

The president is reportedly ready to soft-launch his 2024 reelection campaign on Tuesday.

Some of Trump’s 2024 rivals have suggested Trump’s arraignment earlier this month was a way for Democrats to secure his 2024 candidacy, as they believe he will lose a general election against Biden.

A new national poll shows Donald Trump has a double-digit lead over Ron DeSantis in a hypothetical 2024 primary

NBC News’ first national poll for the 2024 presidential primaries shows Trump leading with 46% of the vote, compared to DeSantis in second with 31%

No other candidate, announced or not, could garner double-digit support among the only 292 Republican voters polled.

Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third with just 6 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and one-time Trump ambassador to the United Nations, is tied for fourth with Senator Tim Scott, who did not announce, and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, who announced. All three politicians received 3 percent support.

Longshot candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire who made his fortune in biotech and asset management, finished last with 2 percent.

Despite the lead in the polls over DeSantis, it’s clear that lines of attack against the governor are not a winning strategy for the former president.

While Trump has made mocking his opponents and political rivals a hallmark of his campaign style, his jokes about DeSantis fell flat with attendees at a local GOP dinner in Lee County on Friday.

When Trump directs his attacks at Democrats or less popular Republicans, he’s usually laughed out loud and clapped — but Republicans in Florida don’t take pleasure in it when the joke is their beloved governor.

“In Florida, I got 1.2 million more votes than your successful governor’s campaign,” Trump said Friday at the Lincoln Reagan dinner. ‘You know that. We have 1.2 million.’

The same poll shows that only a measly 6% of Americans want to see a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden in 2024

He then used his voice to mock DeSantis and play off the governor who asked for his help during the 2018 gubernatorial race in the Sunshine State. “Sir, I would like to have your support, sir. I would like to have your support. I’m at about three o’clock. I would like your support.’

Trump dropped the gig, saying, “Then there was something like a rocket after I gave it.” Otherwise you’d have a lawyer looking for cases somewhere right now.”

After Trump’s attack on DeSantis, there were a few awkward chuckles in the otherwise quiet room, prompting him to add, “If that.”

DeSantis has not yet announced a bid, but is taking all the traditional steps toward a run — including crossing the country to key states for a presidential candidate.

Of those polled, 70 percent don’t think Biden should run for re-election, while 60 percent don’t think Trump should make a third bid for the White House.

The Washington Post reported that while returning from his trip to Ireland, Biden met with a videographer in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to shoot a campaign launch video, expected to be released this week.