March 28, 2024

Trump attacks DeSantis – his supporters suddenly fall silent

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from: Daniel Dillman

In Waco, Texas, Donald Trump gathers supporters. But jokes about his rival Ron DeSantis did not have the desired effect.

WACO, Texas – This was Donald Trump’s first rally since announcing his re-election to the presidency of the United States. The former head of state gathered his supporters on Saturday (March 25) in Waco, Texas. The city, with a population of about 130,000, became known in the early 1990s when a separatist sect fought gunfights with federal agents there and 76 people died as a result of a 51-day siege. In the years since, Waco has become a meaningful event for right-wing extremists in the United States. Among other things, it was referenced by Oklahoma killer Timothy McVeigh – a symbolism the Trump team is unlikely to get away with.

Thousands of people followed Trump’s call to Waco. The former president delighted the audience with some classics from his collection. Such as: jokes about “Crooked Hillary” Clinton, complaints about alleged fraud in the 2020 election and attacks on the US judiciary and law enforcement agencies. Of course, Trump also touched on the ongoing investigations that the New York Attorney General’s office is conducting against him. Just before that, he announced that he would soon be arrested. Now he was optimistic that District Attorney Alvin Bragg had indeed dismissed the charges against him.

Donald Trump takes aim at rival Ron DeAntis in Waco

But things got particularly interesting when Trump started talking about his biggest Republican challenger: Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor has not yet announced that he will seek his party’s nomination for the 2024 US election. But this seems to have been the case for a long time. Trump himself is counting on a duel against DeSantis in the Republican primary. This is proven by his numerous attacks on “Meatball Ron,” or “Disantimonious,” as Trump has called the party friend in the past.

So Donald Trump also launched an attack on DeSantis in Waco. And the former president recalled how the governor of Florida once came “with tears in his eyes” asking for support for his election campaign. Trump has dealt with DeSantis in the way he once did with rivals like Marco Rubio and Ted Bush. “If you support me, I win. Please sir, support me,” DeSantis reportedly implored. “So I said, OK, let’s give it a try.”

Donald Trump arriving in Waco.  His followers didn't respond to jokes about Ron DeSantis as well as they had hoped.
Donald Trump arriving in Waco. His followers didn’t respond to jokes about Ron DeSantis as well as they had hoped. © IMAGO / Sara Diggins

Donald Trump supporters are keeping silent about the attacks on Ron DeSantis

At the time, supporters of Donald Trump celebrated the attacks below the belt. But this time a great silence broke out in the crowd. Even when Trump brought up DeSantis again later in his speech, the crowd’s reaction was wary — a clear sign that even his most loyal supporters aren’t sure where they stand should Trump and DeSantis really compete against each other.

DeSantis himself remained remarkably quiet over the weekend. In an interview with Piers Morgan, the Florida governor called Trump’s attacks “normal attempts at my provocation.” But it is nothing more than “background noise”. (Daniel Dillman)

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