Trump says he was ‘very responsible’ for DeSantis win, sends message to back off presidential run

(Video: Newsmax)

It’s rare these days that a mention of the 2024 election from a Republican perspective doesn’t include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s name, and the media is chomping at the bit to stir up animosity between the popular governor and former President Donald Trump in the likely hope that the two GOP heavyweights might take each other out.

It would appear that DeSantis has gotten Trump’s attention, according to media reports — but more on that later.

Trump was asked about a potential DeSantis presidential run in an interview Monday on Newsmax TV and he responded by telling host Eric Bolling that they have a “very good” relationship — and that he was responsible for the governor’s razor-thin victory in 2018 over Democrat Andrew Gillum, who would be found naked and inebriated in a Miami Beach hotel room a few months later with a male escort and methamphetamine.

“Well, I don’t know that he wants to run now. I have a good relationship with Ron. I don’t know that he wants to run. I haven’t seen that,” Trump said. “You’re telling me something that I have not seen. So, we’ll see what happens… I was very responsible for him getting elected, as you know. I have a very good relationship with him.”

Trump has previously said that DeSantis “would be very good” as a potential running mate in 2024. The former president has also said that he would defeat DeSantis in a primary contest.

In telling The New Yorker this week that he was “very close to making a decision” on a 2024 run, Trump said, “I don’t know if Ron is running, and I don’t ask him. It’s his prerogative. I think I would win.”

Looking to avoid a direct question about whether Trump will run, Bolling said, “So, let me ask you it this way, what would be a mitigating factor? In other words, what would make Donald Trump say, ‘I don’t want it anymore? I did my time. I’m done with it.’”

“I don’t know if anything. We have to make our country great again,” Trump replied. “Our country’s gone to hell, and it’s gone bad very fast. Nobody thought it was possible it could go this bad this fast. We’ll have to see. I love our country. I’ll do what’s right for the country.”

As for DeSantis getting Trump’s attention, the Daily Mail reported recently that the former president “is contemplating launching a campaign for the presidency as soon as this summer from Florida in a bid to send a message to DeSantis.”

The outlet claimed Trump may hold a flashy rally before the 2022 midterm elections somewhere in Florida, perhaps near the state capital to “further assert his dominance over DeSantis.”

Tom Tillison

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