Donald Trump responds to Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign launch with rocket crash videos and fake Twitter Space | US news

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Donald Trump responded to the accidental launch of Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign with fake videos of a rocket crash and a Twitter Space parody featuring Hitler, the devil and the FBI.

Mr Trump, 76, mocked his Republican rival’s glitch-ridden online chat with Twitter founder Elon Musk by posting a series of doctored clips on his Truth Social and Instagram pages.

The first poked fun at the failed launch of Mr Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket, which exploded within minutes of its test flight in Texas last month.

Mr Trump’s post featured a rocket with the words ‘Ron 2024’, launching and rapidly exploding.

Another clip featured an imagined Twitter Space, similar to the one used by Mr DeSantis, 44, and the Twitter founder on Wednesday.

It saw the Florida governor and presidential hopeful getting increasingly impatient as fellow users cut him off.

The icon depicting liberal philanthropist George Soros was heard repeatedly coughing and unable to use the technology before the ‘FBI account’ mistakenly said: “So how do we get Trump out of you?”

Mr Musks icon said: “FBI, this is not a private call.”

Hitler and a demon appeared and homophobic slurs were heard, before Mr DeSantis shouted: “I’m running for f***ing president okay?”

Mr Trump then interrupted everyone, referring to himself as “the real president”.

He said he would “kick the devil out as soon as possible” and threatened World Economic Forum chairman Klaus Schwab and Mr Soros to “put you both in jail”.

“Ron DeSanctimonious can kiss my big 2024 presidential a**. Trump 2024 baby, let’s go!”, he signed off.

Biden says ‘his link is working’

Mr Trump wasn’t the only one to mock the campaign launch.

President Joe Biden’s team posted on Twitter: “As per my policies, this link is working.”

Meanwhile, Trump campaign spokesman Steve Cheung said: “Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silence. A complete failure to launch. And that’s the only candidate.”

The 26-minute audio cut out repeatedly, with half a million people logged on unable to understand what Mr DeSantis was saying.

It was described as an “advert for Twitter” by some of his rivals, while his team tried to spin it as “breaking the internet”.

Mr Trump, who is still banned from Twitter, commented on Truth Social: “Wow! The launch of DeSanctus TWITTER is a DISASTER! His entire campaign is going to be a disaster. WATCH!!

“I know Ron. The way he handled his announcement, he will handle the country!”

Read more: Analysis: Did the launch signal an incompetent outside candidate? Explainer: Five things to know about Ron DeSantis

More videos followed, with a voice asking voters, “why should we benefit from Trump’s imposters?” and accusing Mr DeSantis of “attacking the very man who saved his career”.

Fake footage then showed the Florida governor showing a child one of Mr Trump’s signature ‘Make America Great Again!’ placards.

Mr DeSantis has styled himself as a younger and more electable alternative to the former president, who has endorsed him for his current job as governor.

He is joined by former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina senator Tim Scott, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson – all of whom have already declared.

Mr Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence is expected to announce his bid soon.

In Florida, Mr DeSantis has passed several so-called anti-woke laws, such as the much criticized “don’t say gay” bill and a ban on abortion after six weeks.

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