‘How is this Appropriate?’ Trump Team’s Lavish Anti-DeSantis Dinner With Media, Complete With Pudding Cups, Called Out By Critics

A dinner for members of the press hosted by the Trump campaign on Tuesday evening geared toward ribbing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is being criticized by figures across the political spectrum.

Politico led its Playbook newsletter on Wednesday morning — the day of the first Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 cycle — with details about the dinner:

SPOTTED IN MILWAUKEE — Team Trump wining and dining with a number of top reporters at a steakhouse called “Rare” — and passing out pudding snack packs (a swipe at RON DeSANTIS’ “pudding fingers” story) as well as debate bingo cards to troll the Florida governor. Squares included: “dismisses polls,” “wipes snot,” “red ears,” “Dee-Santis,” “Duh-Santis,” “flip flops on Social Security… again,” “woke” and “pudding mention.” See pictures here and here

Who was there: Reporters Dana Bash, Shane Goldmacher, Kristen Welker, Bob Costa, Fin Gomez, Dasha Burns, Rachel Scott, Rick Klein, Josh Dawsey, Rob Crilly, Mario Parker and David Chalian along with Chris LaCivita, Jason Miller and Steven Cheung. And across the restaurant, feet away: members of Team DeSantis.

The notable collection of Fourth Estaters spent debate night’s eve with Trump campaign staffers even though the former president has elected to skip the forum itself.

They drew fire from both conservative and progressive voices on social media.

“Just national political reporters hanging with their buddy Jason Miller at a high end steak house having some laughs. Hahahahah,” tweeted MeidasTouch’s Fred Wellman. “The political press is absolutely fucking us.”

“On the same team,” observed National Review‘s Dan McLaughlin.

“Sorry, how is this appropriate?” asked Puck’s Julia Ioffe.

“Remember: They want Trump.” asserted right-wing Substack author Jim Treacher.

“How dare you apply guilt by association to mainstream press reporters like Dana Bash being personally invited to a dinner by Team Trump to coordinate anti-DeSantis coverage,” offered one facetious RedState writer.

Even DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern weighed in.

“Ron DeSantis has always fought the Establishment and won,” he argued. “This fight will be no different.”