Trump Takes Aim at DeSantis Over Potential 2024 Run: ‘If He Runs He Could Hurt Himself Very Badly’

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Former President Donald Trump warned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) “could hurt himself” if he launches a bid for the Republican Party’s nomination for president in 2024.

While Trump has not yet declared as a candidate in the race, he did imply during an interview with the Wall Street Journal that it would be a “mistake” for Florida’s governor to run against him.

On the flight from Ohio to his Florida home after Monday’s rally near Dayton for GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance, Trump was candid about a man widely viewed as the only person capable of taking his mantle. The Journal‘s Alex Leary reported Trump was watching TV on the flight home:

Flying from Ohio to Florida aboard his remodeled Boeing 757, Donald Trump caught a glimpse of himself on television. “A fine looking young man, a fine looking candidate,” he quipped to a handful of reporters. Then he saw another potential 2024 presidential contender. “There’s our competitor, he’s a fine guy,” Mr. Trump said Monday night.

He was talking about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to cruise to re-election, a victory that will ratchet up talk of a Trump-DeSantis rivalry, which had been at a low boil.

“I don’t know that he’s running,” Trump told Leary. “I think if he runs he could hurt himself very badly… I think he would be making a mistake.”

Trump added, “I think the base would not like it. If he runs, he runs. If he did run, I will tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering. I know more about him than anybody other than perhaps his wife, who is really running his campaign.”

DeSantis has remained quiet since the former president referred to him as “Ron Desanctimonious” at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

During an interview with NewsNation on Tuesday, Trump criticized DeSantis while he simultaneously took credit for his political success:

He was not even going to be able to even be a factor in the race. And as soon as I endorsed him, within moments, the race was over. I got him the nomination. He didn’t get it.

I got it because the minute I made that endorsement, he got it. Then he ran and he wasn’t supposed to be able to win. I did two rallies, we had 52,000 people at each one and we ended up he won and I thought that he could have been more gracious. But that’s up to him.

Trump is expected to launch another re-election bid next week.