Ron v Don. It’s On: Trump says DeSanctimonious can’t win the election
Ron to Don. It’s on: Trump says DeSanctimonious can’t win election, says he ‘needs a personality transplant’ HOURS before Florida governor kicks off $200M campaign
- Trump called DeSantis “unfaithful” and sanctimonious
- He advanced his votes as a member of the House for GOP budgets
- Trump’s Truth Social posts came as DeSantis intended to announce on Twitter
Former President Donald Trump is not waiting for Ron DeSantis to officially launch his campaign tonight to ridicule his rival — mocking his personality and repeatedly calling the Florida governor “disloyal.”
The Trump attacks, which have been a hallmark of his successful 2016 campaign and his failed 2020 campaign, came on his own Truth Social platform — as DeSantis prepares to launch his campaign in an online conversation with Twitter head Elon Musk .
Among the insults were political attacks more standard in past campaigns—calling DeSantis a risk to older Americans on Social Security and Medicare and berating him for being out of touch with the Republican base.
“Ron DeSanctus can’t win the general election (or get the nomination) because he VOTED TO DESTROY SOCIAL SECURITY, EVEN WANTED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM AGE TO 70 (or more!), VOTED FOR SEVERELY INJURED MEDICINE, AND FIGHTED HARD AND VOTED FOR 23% ‘TAX ON EVERYTHING’ SALES TAX. He was and is a disciple of the terrible RINO Paul Ryan and others too numerous to list. Also, he is in dire need of a personality transplant and, as far as I know, they are not yet medically available. An unfaithful person!’
Former President Donald Trump called his rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis “disloyal” and said he cannot win in the GOP primaries or the November 2024 election because of his past stances on Social Security and Medicare
Trump was referencing While in the Republican House, DeSantis supported legislation to raise the “normal retirement age” for those who would receive the full benefit from 66 or 67 now to 70.
It was the subject of a seething ad by the pro-Trump super PAC “Make American Great Again” that began with an actor playing DeSantis sticking his fingers in a cup of pudding.
He referenced DeSantis’ previous support for a budget plan by former Chairman Ryan and voted for House GOP budgets.
More recently, DeSantis has said Republicans are “not going to mess with Social Security.”
Trump has long viewed DeSantis as disloyal for accepting his support in his run for Florida governor and then deciding to seek the White House while trying to make his own comeback.
Trump referenced DeSantis’ support while a member of Congress for a proposal to raise the normal retirement age, with all benefits, to 70
Trump peppers his policy with personal attacks, which he used to great effect in 2016
Trump reflected on DeSantis’ 2022 gubernatorial race in another post, this time calling him “Rob DeSanctimonious.”
“Look, Rob DeSanctimonious came to me asking for help. He lost badly, by 31 points, to popular agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam. He was preparing to drop out of the race – Ran a terrible campaign! Ron told me he had one last chance, my support and approval, which Putnam and everyone else also wanted. I gave it to Ron and the race was over. In one day he went from losing badly to winning a lot. With 3 BIG TRUMP RALLIES, he WON the GENERAL ELECTION in an upset. UNFAITHFUL!!!’
The pro-DeSantis super-PAC Never Back Down hit Trump back with some of his own comments in a 2020 CNBC interview when asked if rights “will ever get on your plate.”
“At some point they will be, we’ll look at that,” Trump replied, though his words weren’t specific and he also talked about leveraging US economic growth.
The same group said it is planning one $200 million effort to support DeSantiswith plans for multiple door knocks on potential supporters in key states, plus an anticipated TV air war.
Trump’s hits come after the White House broke DeSantis’ record in Florida amid an NAACP “travel advisory” for his state.
Trump has his own baggage to carry. A New York judge on Tuesday set a March 2024 date for the Stormy Daniels “hush” payment case, which would require Trump to jump off the campaign trail days after the Florida primary.