Trump shows clear signs of being threatened by potential DeSantis run

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to announce his intention to run for presidential office, but the possibility of a run has former President Donald Trump spooked. 

In a new video published on Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, the former president fired a warning shot at the Florida governor, telling him to stay away from the Oval Office and refrain from joining the competition for the 2024 GOP primary. 

“Ron DeSantis is a young man who is not doing well against me in the polls, to put it mildly,” Trump claimed. “I believe that if he decides to run for president, which will only hurt and somewhat divide the Republican party, which we don't need, he will lose the cherished and massive MAGA vote and never be able to successfully run for office again.”

In the recent months and weeks, Trump has been waging a one-sided war of words against the Florida governor, heaping praise on DeSantis’ opponents including Democrat Charlie Crist who DeSantis soundly defeated by 20 points in the 2022 gubernatorial race.

Trump concluded: “I believe that if he remains governor, which is what Florida voters assumed he would do, it would be a whole different. Just saying. But who knows?”

The former president made his remarks after pressuring Republican lawmakers across the country, whom he threatened to primary if they didn’t endorse him, according to sources who spoke to Rebel News.

Trump’s singling out of DeSantis did not go unnoticed on social media, where many pointed out how he has not paid much attention at all to his other potential primary contenders who have smaller profiles and are all polling in the low single digits.

In a separate video, Trump claimed that he was receiving a lot of job requests from people working for a Ron DeSantis campaign for president. The claim is not even possible because DeSantis does not have a presidential campaign. 

“Because DeSantis is the one guy who can beat Trump and he knows it. That’s why he’s on the same side as MSNBC in this fight…,” remarked conservative political commentator Dave Rubin. “You only attack the guy ahead of you. Trump knows it. This isn’t 2016 with Cruz and Rubio. Why else spend all day focusing on DeSantis? Even the die hards know it to be true…”

Because DeSantis is the one guy who can beat Trump and he knows it. That’s why he’s on the same side as MSNBC in this fight… https://t.co/hyyNhks5vt

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) April 20, 2023

Here we have Trump scared out of his mind at the inevitable face off he will have to do against America's Governor Ron DeSantis.

Don't be scared, let America will decide, and our Republic will decide decisively for Gov DeSantis!

Next time put out a policy ad cause this was… https://t.co/kFh8RPr7a9

— Derrick Byron (@derrick_byron) April 19, 2023

Former Newsmax host John Cardillo, who has supported both Trump and DeSantis, remarked that the video showed that the former president had “fear” of DeSantis. 

“If Trump is so confident that he will beat DeSantis in the primary then why is he spending all his time and resources on trying to stop DeSantis from entering the race?” said a source familiar with the inner workings of both political circles. “It’s because he is threatened by DeSantis’ strengths and he knows DeSantis is going to hammer him for locking down the country, listening to Dr. Fauci, making bad hiring decisions, creating needless daily drama, his inability to deliver key promises like finishing the wall, and much more.”