On Friday (July 7), during an event in Iowa, former President Donald Trump criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for being a “lousy candidate” in the 2018 Florida GOP gubernatorial primary, which he believes caused DeSantis to initially fall behind.
During the campaign event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Trump stated that DeSantis, who he endorsed for Governor, was initially lagging behind due to his poor performance.
Trump then recalled that following his endorsement, DeSantis’s popularity soared like a “rocket ship,” eventually causing him to secure the nomination.
In the end, DeSantis won the election by a narrow margin.
However, last November, DeSantis won reelection by 19 percentage points.
The ex-president insulted DeSantis, claiming that the Florida Republican lacks personality and characterizing him as a traitor to nationalist ideals.
Trump suggested DeSantis “would be a total disaster,” because he had “no personality.”
He noted that Republican voters had “probably found that out ’cause his polls are crashing” and would be a “catastrophe” for Iowan and Nebraskan farmers because the Florida Governor is “a globalist sellout.”
During the event, the former President criticized DeSantis regarding ethanol in a state that is a major producer of this commodity.
Trump also used the event to suggest DeSantis strongly dislikes Iowa ethanol and ethanol in general. Trump also claimed that while serving in Congress, DeSantis prioritized ending the renewable fuel standard, which is likely a reference to the bill he co-sponsored while in Congress regarding the renewable fuel standard.
