Trump is preparing to launch his own bid for the White House next Tuesday, and polls show DeSantis would be his strongest challenger for the Republican nomination. The former president said: “If (Mr DeSantis) did run, I could tell you things about him that wouldn’t be very flattering. I know more about him than anybody, except maybe his wife, who really runs his campaign.” Trump, 76, made the comments after a pre-election rally where he made a “very big announcement” at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, November 15. He appeared to fire the starting gun in the 2024 presidential race over the weekend when he publicly called Mr. DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious.” Mr Trump dismissed suggestions of a falling out with Mr De Sandys, calling him a “good guy” as he spoke to the media aboard his 757 jet, nicknamed “Trump Force One”. “There is no problem with me,” he said. “I’m way up in the polls, which people hate to say. I don’t think I’d have any problem beating him.” But he urged Mr. DeSantis not to run, saying: “I think he would be wrong, I think the base wouldn’t like him. I don’t think it would be good for the party.” Trump added: “I don’t know that he’s running. I think if he runs he could hurt himself very badly, I really think he could hurt himself.” The former president also said he didn’t think Joe Biden would run again in 2024. He said: “I don’t think he is. It is unthinkable.” Mr. Trump confirmed that, as a resident of Florida, he had voted for Mr. DeSandis’ opponent to be re-elected as the state’s governor. As he left a polling station in Florida, Mr. Trump was asked if he had voted for Governor DeSantis. He said, “Yes I did.”
