Former President Donald J. Trump ratcheted up his attacks on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a rising GOP rock star who would his most serious competitor if he chooses to mount a 2024 White House run.
Already having tabbed the enormously popular Sunshine State Republican as “Ron DeSanctimonious,” the ex-POTUS denied that he has also come up with the moniker “Meatball Ron” as one of the trademark nicknames that he has applied to his rivals, a label that some have interpreted as fat shaming as well as a jab at the governor’s Italian heritage.
In an early Saturday morning post to his Truth Social platform, Trump denied that “meatball” was a part of his repertoire, suggesting that it was instead another “fake news” creation.
“I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious “Meatball” Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will. Even though FoxNews killing lightweight Paul Ryan is revered by him, Low Energy Jeb Bush is his hero and always at his side, his beaches and State were closed for long periods of time, his testing, testing, testing for the China Virus didn’t work out too well, and his loyalty skills are really weak, it would be totally inappropriate to use the word “meatball” as a moniker for Ron!” Trump wrote, jabbing DeSantis on his response to COVID while conveniently omitting the fact that the lockdowns were made possible by his own emergency order.
(Image: Screengrab/Truth Social)
DeSantis has so far declined to engage, shrugging off the nicknames in an interview with the New York Post, recalling his days growing up in Dunedin, FL where Major League Baseball teams play their spring training games.
“The Blue Jays would have spring training games at 1 o’clock and we would come to practice at 4 and the pros would be leaving,” DeSantis said, saying that the Grapefruit League pros would often tease the youngsters from Dunedin High School who shared a practice field with the big league team.
“We would have our names on the lockers and sometimes the pros would change the spelling of our names to make bad words,” he said.
When asked if his was ever changed to “DeSanctimonious” Trump’s preferred insult, the governor laughed, “No. There weren’t enough letters to be able to do that. I don’t know if anyone even can spell that.”
On Saturday night, the former president again lashed out at DeSantis on Truth Social.
“Ron DeSanctimonious wants to cut your Social Security and Medicare, closed up Florida & its beaches, loves RINOS Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, and Karl Rove (disasters ALL!), is backed by Globalist’s Club for NO Growth, Lincoln Pervert Project, & “Uninspired” Koch — And it only gets worse from there. He is a RINO in disguise!, whose Poll numbers are dropping like a rock. Good luck Ron!” Trump wrote.
(Image: Screengrab/Truth Social)
DeSantis won’t be the only potential candidate to receive one of Trump’s nicknames as more Republicans enter the fray, during the 2016 primaries, opponents received labels including “low energy Jeb” Bush, “lyin’ Ted” Cruz, “horseface” Carly Fiorina and “little Marco” Rubio.
While some may feel that the cute nicknames are just Trump being Trump, others might suggest that it’s more than a bit counterproductive to parrot Democrat talking points and scare tactics about DeSantis coming after Social Security and Medicare.
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