Donald Trump calls on Ron DeSantis to ‘get out’ of the 2024 race

trump desantis
'I think he has to get out for the good of the party.'

Donald Trump is offering unsolicited advice for Ron DeSantis, who is still the second-place candidate in the GOP presidential race.

“I think he has to get out for the good of the party. He could have waited, and he would have been odds-on favorite for ’28, but he didn’t do that,” the former President said on the John Fredericks Show.

As he has before, Trump told the story of how DeSantis would be politically “dead” if he hadn’t endorsed the Florida Governor in 2018’s race against Adam Putnam.

“He’d be working in a law office right now,” Trump argued, “just doing whatever he was going to do.”

Trump also contended Friday that DeSantis thought he would lose the General Election to Andrew Gillum.

“We got him past the General Election running against a then very hot candidate who Ron didn’t think he could beat, but we beat him,” Trump said.

The former President also maligned his opponent’s political skills, contending that DeSantis would be nothing without his backing.

“But the fact is he’s a lousy campaigner. Remember, he was at like 3% when I endorsed him. So, on his own without endorsement, without my endorsement, he was at 3%,” Trump said.

“He’s proven to be a terrible campaigner. He’s got no personality and … and it looks like he’ll be superseded by somebody else,” Trump added. “He’s really gotten back to the pack, and I’ve gone way forward, and we’re leading by 50 or 60 points in many cases (in polls).”

As he is prone to doing, the former President exaggerates his lead.

The Race to the White House polling average only has Trump with a 37-point lead, 54% to 17% over DeSantis. The Governor is still comfortably ahead of Vivek Ramaswamy and Mike Pence, who have more than 5% support.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


15 comments

  • Shelby justice

    July 28, 2023 at 9:27 am

    When has Trump been wrong???
    Ron is spending money on trips, which should tell us what he would do in the White House. My money is on Trump winning again. Otherwise WE ALL lose.

    • RonBeGone

      July 28, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      Hahaha. Trump is right about as often as a broken clock and this is one of those times. The GOP stands no chance in ‘24 and thank goodness for that. It was high time to move on from the reality tv era of politics and get some real work done. Thank the current administration for steering us away from fiscal calamity. Now we just need the house so we can finish the job.

  • Dont Say FLA

    July 28, 2023 at 9:27 am

    Trump is right but is incomplete. Rhonda needs to get out of governing, too. He’s collecting a paycheck for governing but he’s running around campaigning for a totally lost cause. He’s going to back to Florida and rage at the GOP machine. He will probably ragea to Nikki too, but she will smack that little beach down so fast and so hard, he’ll stick with raging at GOPs aka other bottoms.

  • Earl Pitts "Most Loved Most Hated" American

    July 28, 2023 at 10:22 am

    Good mornting America,
    As The Ronald’s “Unoffical Campaign Manager” I would like to take a moment to address a few items of concern.
    1.) The Ronald was going to spank that little red headed Putnam boy who we monikered “Opie” after that character on Andy Griffin’s old TV show without Trump’s endorsement.
    2.) Trump will once again be 2024’s looser should The RNC foolishly cave to the left and the RINO’s and allow Trump to become The RNC’s nominee.
    3.) If you, or anyone you know, are buying into the fairy tale fiction that Trump after his 2020 “Biden from The Basement” Smack Down can somwhow resurect his looser image and pull off a 2016 repeat of his Hillary smack down … if thats your fairy tale fiction than you are “Politically Disabled” in your brain and need my, Earl Pitts American’s, help to save yourself along with our Great Nation from your “Politically Disabled” brain.
    a.) Honestly America I, Earl Pitts American, know there are not enough of you “Politically Disabled” conservatives out there foolish enough to fall into the Democrat’s trap and actually vote for Trump over Desantis.
    b.) The only reason I, Earl Pitts American, am even taking my time to address this topic with the voters is because I, Earl Pitts American, love all conservative voters.
    So in closing, my beloved conservative voters, scrape those Trump bumper stickers off your vehicles and replace them with Desantis bumper stickers. Let me, Earl Pitts American, just bring the gravity of this situation right home now and smack you beloved, but hard-headed conservative voters right on your nose to get the point accross.
    You know your b hole brother-in-law who is always razzing you about how stupid you are? Yeah that guy: well just imagine the Holy H€LL that jerk is going to dish out on your dum @55 if you dont get onboard with Desantis right now. Boy you are going to really catch it for years to come from your sister’s b hole husband if you dont switch to Desantis right now.
    Thank you America,
    EPA

    • Dont Say FLA

      July 28, 2023 at 10:41 am

      Yo pops I am not even sure Trump so much “won” in 2016 as Hillary “lost.” Only thing Trump definitely won was the GOP Primary, and looks like he fixing to do that a third time. It’s almost like GOP Primary voters can’t learn (except some of them apparently can learn, given Rhonda’s continually sinking numbers, but I don’t want to beat mah dad’s horse)

      • Earl Pitts "Most Loved Most Hated" American

        July 28, 2023 at 1:06 pm

        Great wisdom above from my beloved Son/Daughter. Love ya Daddies Girl

        • Dont Say FLA

          July 28, 2023 at 1:47 pm

          Smoochies right back at ya, pops! And thank you for accepting me for who I am. <3 Dontce'

          • Earl Pitts American

            July 28, 2023 at 8:46 pm

            🥰😍🤩❤

  • Mr. Speaker

    July 28, 2023 at 10:40 am

    Dang Earl what’ed ya go and smack me in the nose for?
    OK I get it now. I’m going out to scrape those Trump bumper stickers off right now. Newt

  • PeterH

    July 28, 2023 at 11:18 am

    Neither of these two unpatriotic hateful windbags should ever be elected to higher office. Trump should and will be indicted and convicted of criminal behavior.

    Republicans are America’s biggest problem.

    Vote all Republicans out of office.

  • Ron Forrest Ron

    July 28, 2023 at 1:57 pm

    Ron IS out of the race, practically speaking, but don’t nobody tell Trump. Let him waste all his money attacking Mr Stupid Is As Stupid Does, Ron Forrest Ron.

  • My Take

    July 28, 2023 at 8:29 pm

    “The good of the party” Ha!
    As if the OrangeExcrement ever had the slightest concern for anyone other than himself.
    Stick in there, Ron! Drive Trump mad(der).

  • My Take

    July 29, 2023 at 3:40 am

    If/when Trump keels (legally, one hopes, not medically) DeSSgustus will be in a vastly better position.
    Dems need to keep him poitically targeted.

    • RonBeGone

      July 29, 2023 at 6:52 am

      Good take. I think Rhonda’s crew is waiting for that very thing. What they don’t realize is that T Rump will continue to do everything he can to tank Rhonda. Even if it’s from the steps of a courthouse or the side of his deathbed. And, even if TFG kicks it, his lackeys will still beat his drum for years with the belief he will resurrect himself to come back and lead them to the promised land of hate.

      In any scenario, I think Ronnie is done, but I fully agree with staying on the gas against him and all his ilk.

  • My Take

    July 29, 2023 at 5:33 pm

    Trump’s :
    “going to prison”
    “dying in prison”
    Interesting phrases in national headlines.

Comments are closed.


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