Topline
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) criticized former President Donald Trump for not firing federal health official Anthony Fauci and mocked Trumpās nicknames for him in an interview this week with Piers Morgan, according to a preview penned by Morgan in the New York Postāfiring 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 ForceāDeSantis has been one of Fauciās biggest critics.
When asked about differences between the two GOP leaders, DeSantis reportedly said, āthe approach to Covid was differentā and that he would have fired Fauci because āhe got way too big for his britchesā and ādid a lot of damageā (Trump openly mulled firing Fauci in his last months in office, but ultimately kept the longtime infectious disease expert on staff).
The governorās criticism of Trump appeared less direct at other points: He said āthe way we run the Government I think is no daily drama,ā which Morgan cast as a contrast between his leadership style and Trump.
DeSantis also mocked the āDeSanctimoniousā nickname Trump has used for him, saying, āI donāt know how to spell the sanctimonious one,ā adding, ācall me whatever you want, just as long as you also call me a winner because thatās what weāve been able to do in Florida.ā
DeSantis downplayed Trumpās barrage of criticisms as ābackground noise,ā saying, āItās not important for me to be fighting with people on social media,ā 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 āinvestigationā 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 āstay tunedā about his decision to run for president, Morgan said. DeSantis hasnāt announced a 2024 run, but itās 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 āpolitical agenda,ā but mocked the alleged payments, telling reporters in Florida: āI donāt know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.ā
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 āwoman, even classmates that are āunderageā (or possibly a man!)āācomments some critics have cast as homophobic. Trumpās comments were his latest in a slew of insults against DeSantis, including nicknaming him āRon DeSanctemoneousā and reportedly calling him āMeatball Ronā 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 Trumpās during the early years of his presidency. The governor praised Trump in a campaign ad that showed him teaching children to ābuild the wall,ā and reading from Trumpās book, āThe Art of the Deal.ā 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 Unionās 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 PACārun by Trump alliesāprepared an ethics complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics, accusing DeSantis of running a shadow campaign through a āpersonally lucrative book tourā that comes āat the expense of Florida taxpayers.ā
Further Reading
Hereās Why Trump Was Snubbed By A Major Conservative Event Headlined By DeSantis (Forbes)