Trump mocks his 2024 rivals: Ex-President says ‘DeeeSantis’ wants to change his name – because he’s unhappy with how people pronounce it – and jokes about Chris Christie’s weight
- Trump pointed out inconsistencies in the way DeSantis pronounces his last name
- He also posted an insult of Roger Stone making fun of Chris Christie
Former President Donald Trump went back to ridiculing members of the growing presidential field – mocking Ron DeSantis for his changing stance on how to pronounce his own name and insulting former adviser Chris Christie for his weight.
Trump published the insults on his Truth Social platform following reports that former New Jersey governor Christie would soon jump into the race.
Former Vice President Mike Pence is also expected to announce his entry within days.
The moves create a crowded field where Trump rivals will once again expend a lot of energy taking on each other.
Trump has focused most of his fire on DeSantis, as he did last night with a post pointing to repeated changes in the way DeSantis pronounces his last name. He pronounced it “dee-Santis” during the video announcing his campaign, then pronounced it “da-Santis” during interviews on Fox News. years back.
Former President Donald Trump
“Have you heard that ‘Rob’ DeSanctimonious wants to change his name again,” Trump wrote, calling his rival “Rob” again for unexplained reasons.
“He demands people call him DeeeSantis instead of DaSantis. Actually, I like “Da” better, a nicer flow, so I’m glad he changes it. He gets very upset when people, including reporters, don’t pronounce it correctly. That’s why he shouldn’t mind, DeSanctimonious?’
The last line referred to the tag Trump usually uses for his rival, who follows him in the polls but is campaigning in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina this week.
Trump also placed another attack on Christie, who endorsed Trump in 2016 and spearheaded his presidential transition for a time before becoming a Trump critic at the end of his presidency.
It was a post from former Trump adviser Roger Stone. Trump commuted Stone’s 40-month sentence for lying to Congress days before leaving office.
Trump placed another attack on former New Jersey governor Chris Christie days before Christie is set to enter the presidential contest
Trump reposted an image of former adviser Roger Stone
DeSantis, seen here with his wife Casey DeSantis, switches between pronouncing his name ‘Dee-Santis’ and ‘Da-Santis’
Stone posted an image that may have been modified to depict a tall Christie struggling with his weight. @ChrisChristie needs to run. Not for president. He should just run,” Stone wrote. Trump reposted the message without comment.
His attacks come after DeSantis, who is campaigning in Iowa on Thursday, called for “abandoning the culture of loss that has infected the Republican Party,” referring to underperformance nationally and Trump’s 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
In New Hampshire, DeSantis said Thursday that leadership was “not entertainment” and “not about building a brand,” in another possible thing with Trump.
The growing Republican field has led Trump critics to fear the former president’s base will hold up as rivals tear each other apart.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, himself a possible contender, predicts there will be no such repeat and urged candidates to drop out of the race if they underperform.
“Come November or December of this year, if you’re not gauging right, get your ass out of this race, let’s narrow it down to a few candidates,” he told Fox News on Thursday. “That’s fairer for the process,” he said.