Donald Trump delivered one of his harshest direct attacks on Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, knocking the Florida governor for his leadership of the sunshine state and his handling of the COVID pandemic.
“Now that Ron DeSanctimonious is finally admitting he’s in the Race by beginning to fight back, and now that his Polls have crashed so he has no other choice, let me explain the facts, Trump said in a statement. “He is, for a Republican, an average Governor, he got 1.2 million less Votes in Florida than me, he fought for massive cuts in Social Security and Medicare, and wanted Social Security minimum age to be raised to 70-years-old, or more.”
“He is a disciple of Paul Ryan, and did whatever Ryan told him to do. Florida has been successful for many years, long before I put Ron there—It’s amazing what Ocean and Sunshine will do!,” Trump continued.
DeSantis became popular among conservatives during the COVID pandemic by defying efforts by the federal government to mitigate the spread of the virus.
But Trump suggest DeSantis’ ultimately failed in his handling of the pandemic because Florida was “third worst in the Nation for COVID-19 Deaths (losing 86,294 People), third worst for Total Number of Cases, at 7,516,906….for COVID Death Rates Per State, Ron, as Governor of Florida, did worse than New York.”
Trump said DeSantis failed in other areas as well.
“In Education, Florida ranks among the worst in the Country and on crime statistics, Florida ranked Third Worst in Murder, Third Worst in Rape, and Third Worst in Aggravated Assault. For 2022, Jacksonville was ranked as one of the Top 25 Major Crime Cities in the Country, with Tampa and Orlando not doing much better. On Education, Florida ranks #39 in Health & Safety in the Country, #50 in Affordability, and #30 in Education & Childcare, HARDLY GREATNESS THERE!”
Trump’s statement comes one day before DeSantis interview with Piers Morgan is set to air. Morgan previewed the interview in an op-ed published in the New York Post on Tuesday.
In the interview, DeSantis took jabs at Trump’s character and his leadership style.
“I also think just in terms of my approach to leadership, I get personnel in the government who have the agenda of the people and share our agenda,” DeSantis said, according to Morgan. “You bring your own agenda in, you’re gone. We’re just not gonna have that.”
DeSantis has not finally announced a presidential bid. But polls show he is Trump’s biggest onstacle to securing the GOP nomination for president.
Last week, a Trump aligned super PAC called for an ethics investigation into whether DeSantis’ political activity is violating Florida state law.
“The fact is, Ron is an average Governor, but the best by far in the Country in one category, Public Relations, where he easily ranks Number One—But it is all a Mirage, just look at the facts and figures, they don’t lie—And we don’t want Ron as our President!,” Trump said in his statement.
