Donald Trump will ENDORSE DeSantis in bid to avoid being prosecuted, commentator claims

Donald Trump will support Ron DeSantis if Florida’s governor defeats him for the 2024 GOP nomination in hopes of gaining protection from prosecution, a liberal commentator has claimed.

Sign up New York magazine, Jonathan Chait offered a fascinating alternative to the widely held theory that the former president will attempt to divide and destroy the Republican party if he is not nominated to become the next president.

Chait explained, “What interests would Trump have in common with DeSantis? For one thing, DeSantis could offer Trump legal protection — a pardon or immunity from further prosecution.”

The former president is currently facing multiple criminal investigations, though he denies wrongdoing and has yet to be charged with any crimes.

FBI agents raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago country club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in August, alleging he illegally stored classified material there.

The Justice Department is now said to be interested in Trump’s alleged involvement in fueling the January 6 riots.

It was reported Wednesday that former Trump vice president Mike Pence is considering helping the DoJ with its investigations.

Trump also faces a New York investigation into his tax affairs and recently lost his latest attempt to prevent prosecutors from getting his returns.

While Trump and DeSantis have clashed in recent weeks, Chait went on to argue that Trump is ultimately a pragmatist who will do what is best for his own interests.

He highlighted DeSantis’ significant fundraising ability, saying Trump may also be hoping for a hefty financial payment in return for his support of DeSantis.

And while relations between former pals Trump and DeSantis are currently frosty, Chait said evidence suggests Trump is making amends with sworn enemies.

He cites the examples of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Both clashed with Trump as they sought the 2016 presidential nomination.

Trump famously suggested that Cruz’s Heidi was ugly — but the pair later made amends, with Texas Senator Cruz now a staunch Trump defender.

DeSantis could protect Trump from all charges that led to the FBI’s raid on his Mar-a-Lago country club, which resulted in the discovery of classified documents that should never have been removed from federal government property, so is claimed

DeSantis could also offer Trump protection from prosecution over the January 6 riots. The Justice Department is about to investigate Trump’s involvement

Chait also suggested that Trump will always hate Joe Biden more than DeSantis, and that he will happily support the latter in hopes of crushing Biden’s reelection hopes in 2024.

DeSantis is the GOP’s golden boy in the wake of the midterm elections earlier this month.

He won reelection in Florida by 20 points and appears to have changed a state that was once purple-deep.

The governor – who is only 45 – is seen by many Republicans as a presidential candidate who can push through the policies Trump popularized, but without the former president’s divisive personality.

Many Trump loyalists performed surprisingly poorly during the midterm elections, further suggesting that the ex-president’s popularity is on the wane.

Like DeSantis, they fanned culture war tension over issues of race and gender in an effort to incentivize voters.

But probably it was DeSantis’ track record as a proficient legislator — with his handling of Hurricane Ian and COVID lockdowns both applauded — that cemented his hold on the Sunshine State.

DeSantis is also widely regarded as a nightmare candidate for the Democratic Party to run against.

By electing Trump to stand, voters who hate the former president would flock back to the polls and defeat him again.

But DeSantis has none of that baggage. He is also much younger and more verbally agile than Biden.

Trump announced his candidacy for 2024 last week, but no such announcement has been made.

DeSantis is not required to announce his attention to participation until much closer to Election Day.