The political landscape ahead of the 2024 GOP presidential race is heating up, with former President Trump publicly criticizing fellow Republican and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
Trump’s remarks on Tuesday targeted recent high-level personnel changes within DeSantis’s campaign, casting them in a negative light.
Trump’s scathing remarks on DeSantis’s campaign
In a notable post on Truth Social, Trump labeled DeSantis’s campaign team as a group of “misfits and grifters.”
He claimed that many had chosen to leave, seeking better opportunities elsewhere.
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Trump’s harsh critique of DeSantis’s team
Trump’s words were pointed and vivid: “The Ron DeSanctimonious ‘team’ of misfits and grifters has largely quit his campaign to go on to greener pastures.”
“It has been a terrible experience for them as they have watched their candidate fall violently from the sky like a wounded bird.”
Recent challenges in DeSantis’s campaign
The backdrop to Trump’s critique was a weekend filled with upheaval for DeSantis’s team.
A report from The Washington Post shed light on internal discord within DeSantis’s super PAC, Never Back Down, contributing to a sense of chaos.
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Jeff Roe exits DeSantis campaign amidst controversy
This revelation was followed by the departure of Jeff Roe, a top strategist for DeSantis.
Roe publicly announced his resignation on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating, “I cannot in good conscience stay affiliated with Never Back Down (NBD) given the statements in the Washington Post today.”
“They are not true and an unwanted distraction at a critical time for Governor DeSantis.”
Trump’s sarcastic response to Jeff Roe’s departure
Trump didn’t miss the opportunity to comment on Roe’s exit from the campaign.
In a typical Trump fashion, he combined criticism with sarcasm: “Jeff Roe, his ‘chief strategist’ and head of his PAC, ‘Always Back Down,’ after having done major surgery on Ron’s wallet, couldn’t get out of town fast enough.”
“Now Jeff can spend full time in Texas working with Ted Cruz, formerly known as Lyin’ Ted, who is working hard to get back the magic they had together in 2016!”
DeSantis faces stagnant polls, rising competition in GOP primary
Adding to the challenges for DeSantis is the current state of the polls.
Recent weeks have seen his poll numbers stagnate, particularly as he fights to maintain his position in the GOP primary race. Nikki Haley’s rising popularity poses a significant threat to his second-place standing.
According to Decision Desk HQ’s national polling average, Trump leads the GOP primary with 64.8 percent support, followed by DeSantis at 11.3 percent and Haley closely behind at 10.7 percent.
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