A painting by Ron DeSantis graces the cover of this week’s Time magazine, showing the Florida governor peeling an orange in what many see as a subtle dig at GOP arch-rival Donald Trump.
It’s DeSantis’ first Time cover, and it comes just days before DeSantis is due to launch his official presidential campaign, with Trump becoming his biggest potential challenge for the nomination.
The cover story, titled “The DeSantis Project,” left CNN hosts Boris Sanchez and Dana Bash chuckling at what Trump — who has appeared on the cover of the magazine 35 times, including a Person of the Year award — must have thought of it.
“The first thing I thought when I saw this cover, Boris, was that Donald Trump is not going to be happy,” Bash told Sanchez.
“There are certain brands, historic brands that Donald Trump has a connection to and that he is proud of, has a connection to,” she added after Sanchez agreed. “And ‘Time’ magazine and being on the covers of ‘Time’ magazine is one of the most important.”
A painting by Ron DeSantis graces the cover of this week’s Time magazine, showing Florida’s governor peeling an orange in what many see as a subtle dig at GOP arch-rival Donald Trump
Trump didn’t address the cover story directly, but he continued to beat up DeSantis on his TRUTH Social account on Friday.
“Sorry, but Ron DeSanctimonious is UNKNOWN, and everyone knows why. I’m ahead of Biden by 11 points. WON TWICE, WON TWICE AND DONE MUCH BETTER THE SECOND TIME (ELECTION WAS WRONG!),’ he wrote. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
He then posted an image of a favorable poll, adding, “Like I said – Ron is not up for election. I’m ahead of Crooked Joe Biden by at least 7 points and Ron DeSanctimonious loses by 4 points. His ‘campaign’ has been a total disaster!’
The president has been attacking DeSantis regularly for months, even with Florida’s governor not officially entering the race until next week.
The only presidents to appear on the cover of Time more often than Trump are Ronald Reagan (37) and Richard Nixon (40).
The story is a deep dive into DeSantis’ iron grip on the Florida Republican Party, which, according to writer Molly Ball, “set aside their own projects to do DeSantis’ bidding.”
They seemed to praise his work in making Florida a deep red stronghold, a stronghold that DeSantis won by 20 points last year.
“What was once the butt of jokes about gators and retirees is now the swaggering, Southern-tinged Free State of Florida—where men are men, awake is broke, and business is booming; A net 1,200 new residents are added every day,” Ball writes.
The cover story, titled “The DeSantis Project,” left CNN anchors Boris Sanchez and Dana Bash chuckling at what Trump — who has appeared on the cover of the magazine 35 times, including a Person of the Year award — must think of it.
It’s DeSantis’ first Time cover, and it comes just days before DeSantis is set to launch his official presidential campaign, with Trump becoming his biggest potential challenge for the nomination.
Then-President-elect Trump was named Time’s Person of the Year in 2016
The only presidents to appear on the cover of Time more than Trump are Ronald Reagan (37) and Richard Nixon (40)
Trump didn’t address the cover story directly, but he continued to beat up DeSantis on his TRUTH Social account Friday
DeSantis has been trying to emulate Florida’s record since the end of the legislature by touting its low unemployment rate and comparing it favorably to New York’s on Friday.
In other comments Friday, DeSantis tore into campus “woke” culture, saying his Florida “got moxie,” preparing for a magazine article about his state as he prepares to become a champion in his home state with a launch in Miami.
“Basically, they said, you know, it’s the free state of Florida where wakes are broke, where men are men, and where business is good,” he said.
“And I’m like, you know what? That’s not a bad slogan.’
Trump leads DeSantis 56 to 19.9 in the final RealClearPolitics average.
That lead has only widened since Trump was found liable for sexual assault in the trial of E. Jean Carroll, while still facing a Jan. 6 federal investigation and federal filings, a New York trial related to his company and a Georgia investigation into his attempt to overthrow the election. over there.
Trump led DeSantis 42-22 in New Hampshire in a UNH poll released last month.
Trump attended the same dinner in Manchester three weeks ago, where a crowd developed both outside and inside. In 2016, when he appeared there, an exciting patron yelled “Enjoy your burger, racist!” while he was having dinner.