Trump criticized DeSantis, saying he regretted his endorsement of him

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Trump spent about 10 minutes going after DeSantis, who is widely viewed as his most formidable challenger for the Republican nomination. The Florida governor, who is expected to launch his campaign following the end of the state’s legislative session in May, has embarked on a swing of the first major states to promote his newly released memoir — including in Iowa, if where he appeared on Friday.

Trump contends that DeSantis begged him for an endorsement during his first run for governor, when polls showed him trailing his primary challenger, then-Florida agricultural commissioner Adam Putnam.

“I said ‘You’re dead right now you won’t go, no endorsement will save you. George Washington will not save you.’ He said, ‘I’m telling you, if you endorse me, I have a chance,'” Trump said.

Trump said he later decided to support DeSantis because he defended him as he faced a Democratic-led impeachment over allegations that he pressured Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden’s family. In fact, DeSantis got on Trump’s radar by defending him from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 election.

DeSantis went on to win the primary while heavily touting his support from Trump. He then prevailed in the general election against Democrat Andrew Gillum. Trump said that before the general election, DeSantis doubted he would win.

Trump later said he was disappointed when DeSantis, then serving as governor, refused to answer questions about whether he would challenge Trump for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.

Trump said he last spoke to DeSantis several months ago. His remarks signaled he is deeply committed to DeSantis, who he admitted is “probably” his most serious challenger. Behind the scenes, the former president’s team is conducting polling research to gauge the governor’s weaknesses. There was one attack Trump rejected, however: calling DeSantis “Meatball Ron.” Trump is reportedly making up the nickname. But he dismissed the idea, calling the moniker “too crude.”

In another spat with reporters on the flight back to West Palm Beach at midnight, Trump doubled down on his remarks about DeSantis. The former president called the governor a flip-flopper, mocked his debate skills and compared him to establishment-aligned Republicans like Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Paul Ryan.

“Remember this: If it wasn’t for me, Ron DeSanctimonious would be working right now maybe at a law firm, or maybe at a Pizza Hut, I don’t know.”

A spokeswoman for DeSantis declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. The governor has largely avoided contact with the former president, saying recently that he doesn’t spend his time “trying to discredit other Republicans.”

Trump was also asked about comments former Vice President Mike Pence made over the weekend at the Gridiron Dinner, where he called Jan. 6 a “disgrace” and said Trump should be “held accountable” for deadly attack on the Capitol.

Pence is now considering challenging Trump for the nomination.

“I heard his speech, and I think he decided that being nice wasn’t working because he was at 3 percent in the polls, so he thought he wasn’t going to be nice anymore,” Trump said.

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