Donald Trump diverged from his usual criticisms on Sunday night, expressing gratitude and praise for Ron DeSantis, his once Republican rival, at a rally in New Hampshire.
DeSantis, the Florida governor, had recently ended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump. The move marked the end of a contentious relationship between the two, with Trump refraining from his earlier mocking nicknames for DeSantis.
Trump, acknowledging DeSantis’ endorsement, commended him for doing a “very good job” and described him as “a really terrific person.” Despite the positive tone, DeSantis’ endorsement seemed less enthusiastic, stating that he signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee without offering overt praise for Trump.
He also took a swipe at Nikki Haley, portraying her as a representative of the old Republican establishment.
But it does not seem that Trump will forgive DeSantis, whom he helped during his first Florida gubernatorial election campaign, for the ‘betrayal’, as he sees it. The Republican top runner does not foresee a high ranking position for his former rival in a possible new Trump administration. In ‘Trump world’ the poplar Florida governor appears finished.
It’s a stunning crashing back to reality for DeSantis: Not too long ago, he appeared poised to emerge as the next-generation successor to former President Donald Trump.
Following a disappointing Midterm election in the fall of 2022, Republicans more and more attributed blame to Trump and wearied of his antics and a series of defeats, including the loss of the White House in 2020.
DeSantis presented himself as a younger, more agile version of Trump. A conservative populist like Trump, he secured a landslide reelection as Florida Governor, even in a state known for its strong Democratic presence. His attractive family, reminiscent of Kennedy glamour, added to his appeal. The party seemed ready to move on from Trump, especially as the former president announced his ’24 candidacy already in the fall of ’22, with DeSantis suddenly leading in the polls.
DeSantis had both money and momentum, but his campaign turned into a political train wreck. The launch on Elon Musk’s Twitter (today X) experienced glitches, and his subsequent political maneuvers resembled strategic malpractice. With a bloated campaign, DeSantis spent millions from donors and had to reshuffle his team.
The most substantial challenge was DeSantis’s failure to win over Trump’s loyal MAGA base. They viewed him as a potential future candidate or a backup plan under Trump, rather than a direct competitor. Most Trump supporters insisted that it was still Trump’s turn, and DeSantis, being younger, could wait. DeSantis avoided directly criticizing Trump, fearing backlash from his base, leaving no clear contrast and making it a political mission impossible to defeat an opponent without challenging him.
The final fatal mistake came when DeSantis invested heavily in the Iowa Caucus, touring all 99 counties amid discussions about his cowboy boots and height inserts. With the defeat, he lost his political capital.
As the New Hampshire campaign unfolded, Trump faced legal challenges, including a civil defamation trial in New York and the upcoming criminal trial related to the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. But so far all these legal issues have helped Trump poltically. DeSantis was unable to profit from the legal turmoil.
