Opinion
Donald Trump’s campaign blasted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after comments he made during a private call emerged indicating he had no interest in serving as vice president.
NBC News reported the phone conversation with supporters in which DeSantis urged Trump to avoid “identity politics” in choosing a running mate, while rejecting calls for him personally to join the ticket.
“I would like someone who, if something happened, the people who voted for us would be happy to know that they would continue the mission,” DeSantis said.
“I hear they’re looking more at identity politics. I think it’s a mistake,” she added. “I think you should just focus on who would be the best person for the job, and then do it accordingly.”
It’s actually a reasonable concept and something that Republicans say guides Democrats in every decision they make: race and gender.
RELATED: Trump releases wild new ad campaign attacking DeSantis “Pudding Fingers.”
DeSantis on being Trump’s VP: ‘I won’t do it’
According to the NBC report, DeSantis also rejected the idea of joining Trump’s campaign as his vice president.
“People mentioned me. I won’t do it,” she said.
DeSantis has long insisted that he would not join Trump’s ticket even after dropping out of the presidential race. He also predicted that Trump would staff his White House with “yes men” who would do his bidding.
“I think the way he organizes the White House, the way he organizes the administration, is going to be really, really significant,” DeSantis said. “I think he will probably find people who will be kinder to yes men, rather than people who will push back.”
RELATED: Donald Trump teases Tim Scott as running mate
Trump’s campaign reignites
To say that the Trump campaign didn’t appreciate DeSantis’ comments would be a huge understatement.
Campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt responded: “Ron DeSantis has failed miserably in his presidential campaign and has no say in choosing the next vice president of the United States.”
“Rather than throwing poor shots from far away, Ron should focus on what he can do to shoot [President] Joe Biden and Make America Great Again,” he added.
Leavitt’s response was much more measured than that of one of Trump’s other aides, senior adviser Chris LaCivita.
“No more chicken and cups of pudding is what you will be remembered for your sad little man,” LaCivita wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
A Daily Beast report last year claimed that DeSantis had a peculiar eating habit involving pudding.
Two anonymous sources at the left-wing tabloid claimed that once, four years ago, “DeSantis enjoyed a chocolate pudding dessert, eating it with three fingers.”
The Trump campaign turned it into a bizarre political ad against the governor of Florida.
Trump airs disgusting commercial featuring Ron DeSantis eating pudding with his fingers. pic.twitter.com/QWAPI21AjU
—Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 14, 2023
Trump has offered a few names to his list of vice presidential candidates, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds and South Carolina Gov. Kristi Noem.
He actually included DeSantis on that list as well during a Fox News town hall event earlier this week.
During the private call, DeSantis refused to rule out another run for the White House in 2028.
“Oh, I haven’t ruled anything out,” he said. “I mean… we’re still in this election cycle. So it’s presumptuous to say this or that. I think a lot happens in politics.
Let’s hope he learns from the mistakes he and his inept campaign strategists have made over the past year.
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