Trump says possible DeSantis presidential run would be 'great act of disloyalty'

One of the most recent polls, released Jan. 20, showed that Trump is leading DeSantis by 20 points in the 2024 GOP primary.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Published: January 29, 2023 10:27am

Updated: January 29, 2023 4:27pm

Former President Donald Trump said it would be "a great act of disloyalty" if Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis opposed him in the 2024 presidential primary.

"If he runs, that's fine. I’m way up in the polls," Trump, the only declared 2024 presidential candidate, told The Associated Press in an interview after his campaign event Saturday in South Carolina.

One of the most recent polls, released Jan. 20, showed that Trump is leading DeSantis by 20 points in the 2024 GOP primary. Polls have been mixed over the past year, with DeSantis ahead in some and Trump winning in others.

"He's going to have to do what he wants to do, but he may run," Trump said Saturday. "I do think it would be a great act of disloyalty because, you know, I got him in. He had no chance. His political life was over."

Trump has taken credit earlier several times before for getting DeSantis elected governor in 2018.

When asked earlier this month about a possible primary challenge from DeSantis, Trump said: "We'll handle that the way I handle things."