DeSantis hits back at Trump ahead of 2024 announcement

DeSantis was recently buoyed by a landslide victory to maintain his seat as governor, while Trump’s grip on the Republican Party has apparently weakened in the wake of his candidates’ poor midterm performances. Trump, in turn, has stepped up criticism of potential 2024 Republican rivals, including DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Trump has repeatedly taken swipes at DeSantis in both speeches and statements — nicknaming him “Ron DeSanctimonious” — and taken credit for the governor’s success after endorsing him in 2018. Still, the Florida governor’s star power has nonetheless been on the rise within the Republican Party as early jockeying within the 2024 field begins.

DeSantis hadn’t responded to Trump’s criticism until Tuesday — hours ahead of the former president’s announcement of his 2024 run for president. While the Florida governor brushed off the jabs as part of “the nature” of his job, he also took his own swipe at Trump by pointing out the former president’s lackluster midterm endorsements.

“One of the things I’ve learned in this job is when you’re leading, when you’re getting things done, you take incoming fire, that’s just the nature of it,” DeSantis said.