Former President Donald Trump recently spoke about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has become a formidable threat to the former President’s potential plans for 2024 according to many polls.
In an interview with New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who is currently writing a new book “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America” Haberman claims that Trump took full credit for DeSantis’success in winning the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2018.
According to Haberman, Trump also called DeSantis “fat,” “phony,” and “whiny” when Haberman asked him to describe the governor. The extent to which Trump indeed shared these remarks about DeSantis, which only appear in the book and not the Atlantic article is unclear.
These comments appear to also have been made during a time when DeSantis had managed to raise more money than both President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The impressive fundraising efforts of DeSantis have helped him be in the top 20 potential presidential contenders. For his reelection campaign, DeSantis has raised $177.4 million, which is a national record for a gubernatorial campaign.
According to a USA Today and Suffolk University poll, DeSantis is currently leading in Florida by 8 points, in a hypothetical match between him and the former President.
The fundraising efforts and high polling numbers have led to many speculations about DeSantis potentially preparing for a 2024 presidential bid.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has widely criticized DeSantis over his policies and has even said that people living in Florida are having their freedom attached. He also invited Florida residents to move to California.
So far, neither DeSantis not Trump have announced a presidential bid for 2024.
