Topline
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) criticized former President Donald Trump for not firing federal health official Anthony Fauci and mocked Trumpâs nicknames for him in an interview this week with Piers Morgan, according to a preview penned by Morgan in the New York Postâfiring back at the former president and possible 2024 rival after months of attacks.
Key Facts
DeSantis, who had previously remained quiet as Trump publicly attacked him, criticized the former president for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and his decision to keep Fauci on the White House Coronavirus Task ForceâDeSantis has been one of Fauciâs biggest critics.
When asked about differences between the two GOP leaders, DeSantis reportedly said, âthe approach to Covid was differentâ and that he would have fired Fauci because âhe got way too big for his britchesâ and âdid a lot of damageâ (Trump openly mulled firing Fauci in his last months in office, but ultimately kept the longtime infectious disease expert on staff).
The governorâs criticism of Trump appeared less direct at other points: He said âthe way we run the Government I think is no daily drama,â which Morgan cast as a contrast between his leadership style and Trump.
DeSantis also mocked the âDeSanctimoniousâ nickname Trump has used for him, saying, âI donât know how to spell the sanctimonious one,â adding, âcall me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because thatâs what weâve been able to do in Florida.â
DeSantis downplayed Trumpâs barrage of criticisms as âbackground noise,â saying, âItâs not important for me to be fighting with people on social media,â according to Morgan.
Tangent
DeSantis imposed strict travel rules in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, and he encouraged Floridians to take the coronavirus vaccines in the first few months after they became available, but he has pivoted to a hardline position since then, opposing mask mandates and calling for an âinvestigationâ into vaccine development. Florida has recorded 403 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 residents since the start of the pandemic, above the nationwide rate of 337, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.
What To Watch For
DeSantis told Morgan to âstay tunedâ about his decision to run for president, Morgan said. DeSantis hasnât announced a 2024 run, but itâs widely believed he will launch a campaign in the coming months, after breaking fundraising records in his gubernatorial run last year and visiting Iowa this month.
Contra
DeSantis appeared to ridicule Trump earlier this week when he joined other Republicans in attacking Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who may criminally charge Trump over a scheme to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. The governor accused Bragg of carrying out a âpolitical agenda,â but mocked the alleged payments, telling reporters in Florida: âI donât know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.â
Chief Critic
Trump lashed out against the Florida governor for his comments on the Stormy Daniels payments in a scathing Truth Social post Monday, arguing he could face allegations from a âwoman, even classmates that are âunderageâ (or possibly a man!)ââcomments some critics have cast as homophobic. Trumpâs comments were his latest in a slew of insults against DeSantis, including nicknaming him âRon DeSanctemoneousâ and reportedly calling him âMeatball Ronâ in private (a nickname Trump denied using). Trump has also used Truth Social in recent months to post a series of links to polls indicating Republican voters favor Trump in a hypothetical 2024 match-up (other polls have indicated otherwise).
Key Background
DeSantis had been considered a protege of Trumpâs during the early years of his presidency. The governor praised Trump in a campaign ad that showed him teaching children to âbuild the wall,â and reading from Trumpâs book, âThe Art of the Deal.â Their relationship soured amid growing speculation DeSantis is planning a 2024 presidential run, which would put him head-to-head with Trump in the GOP primaries. Trump has repeatedly attacked DeSantis on Truth Social, including a post earlier this month attacking DeSantis for his prior position on cutting Social Security and Medicare. Earlier this month, DeSantis and Trump appeared at competing GOP events: the American Conservative Unionâs CPAC, where Trump spoke, and the Club for Growth, a fiscally-conservative organization that snubbed Trump and featured DeSantis. Last week, the MAGA Inc. super PACârun by Trump alliesâprepared an ethics complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics, accusing DeSantis of running a shadow campaign through a âpersonally lucrative book tourâ that comes âat the expense of Florida taxpayers.â
Further Reading
Hereâs Why Trump Was Snubbed By A Major Conservative Event Headlined By DeSantis (Forbes)