JUST IN: Team Trump Files Ethics Complaint Against DeSantis For ‘Personal Financial Gain’ At Taxpayer Expense

Former President Donald Trump’s team has filed an ethics complaint against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis claiming he’s reaping “personal financial gain” at the expense of the state’s taxpayers.

While DeSantis has yet to announce his presidential run formally, Trump has been training his fire on DeSantis for months as the Florida governor cemented his status as the only candidate in the GOP field with any shot at contending with Trump.

Now, on the heels of a report that Trumpworld is gearing up to drop some ugly oppo on DeSantis, NBC News correspondent Matt Dixon reports exclusively that Trump’s Make America Great Again PAC has filed a complaint with the Florida ethics board (the majority of which is comprised of DeSantis appointees):

Make America Great Again Inc. is filing a 15-page complaint Wednesday with the Florida Commission on Ethics, a draft of which was obtained exclusively by NBC News.

It asks the commission to probe whether pro-DeSantis super PACs, his “personally lucrative book tour” and a continued wave of state-level campaign contributions, among other things, “are unlawful because they serve his personal political objectives, are in furtherance of his personal financial gain at the expense of Florida taxpayers, and are intended to influence his official decision to resign from office.”

The complaint was met with contempt by Taryn Fenske, DeSantis’ communications director, who told NBC News “Adding this to the list of frivolous and politically motivated attacks — it’s inappropriate to use state ethics for partisan purposes.”

Trump launched his campaign in November with what many considered an underwhelming speech at Mar-a-Lago, while DeSantis, without a formal campaign launch, has grabbed headlines with stunts like sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard at taxpayer expense and with a policy campaign aimed at culture war issues.

After several months of gains from DeSantis, Trump’s lead in the polls has surged as other candidates have joined the race.